02.04. LECTURE No. 4 -- Rev_1:9-17
LECTURE No. 4 -- Revelation 1:9-17
Why John Was on the Isle of Patmos - The Seven Churches to Whom the Message of This Book Were to Be Sent - John’s Patmos Vision of the Risen Christ OUR LAST LESSON closed with the sublime declaration of our Lord in Revelation 1:8, where He said: “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, WHICH IS and WHICH WAS, and WHICH IS TO COME, the Almighty.”
These words express the eternal character of the Christ, and there is NO HIGHER EXPRESSION OF DEITY any where in Holy Writ than the words which Christ used here, concerning Himself, i.e., “The Almighty.”
This one expression announces the fact that HIS WILL and HIS POWER are supreme in all things! It is another way of saying that in Him “dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily,” and that ALL THINGS are to be brought into subjection under Him, so that He may have the preeminence in all things.
Indeed, my friends, what divine authority and majesty are expressed in these words! What son of wickedness, therefore, would not tremble and be moved with fear in the presence of Him who is called “THE ALMIGHTY”?
Lesson Text Now for our present lesson let us read what is recorded in Revelation 1:9-17, where it says:
“I, John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the Kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the Isle that is called Patmos, FOR THE WORD OF GOD, and for the TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST.
“I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,
“Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.
“And I turned to see the voice that spake with me, And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;
“And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle,
“His head and His hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and His eyes were as a flame of fire;
“And His feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and His voice as the sound of many waters.
“And He had in His right hand seven stars: and out of His mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and His countenance was as the Sun shineth in His strength,
“And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. And He laid His right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not: I am the first and the last.” The Title of the Book
Now, before we undertake to explain this passage, let me remind you of the Title of this book. It is called, in the first verse, “THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST.”
This literally means the revealing, or unveiling, or making known to us, the PERSON and CHARACTER of the Lord Jesus Christ, as He now is, at the right hand of God, in the heavenlies, and as He will appear when He comes again!
Therefore, we may expect in our study of the Book of Revelation that JESUS, the CHRIST, the SON OF GOD, the MESSIAH OF ISRAEL, and the SAVIOUR OF THE WORLD, will be revealed to us
- In His relation to His CHURCHES UPON EARTH.
- In relation to the CHURCH IN HEAVEN,
- In His relation to THE WICKED PEOPLE OF THE WHOLE EARTH.
The relation of the exalted Christ to HIS CHURCHES HERE UPON EARTH is set forth, in the first three chapters of the Revelation. And it is these things which now command our attention. The Apostle John The passage just read, however, directs our attention, first of all, to JOHN the Apostle, who was the human instrument, which God used to record these things which are given in this book. The great Apostle here refers to himself in a very meek way! And identifies Himself merely as a BROTHER and COMPANION of those who were in tribulation. Yet, he was the oldest and most exalted Christian of his day.
The Apostle John was the last of the twelve Apostles. By this time he was a very old man, no doubt with white hair, and bowed form, and was truly a venerable old man!
As a young man he had been among the first to find and follow Jesus. He had listened to the wonderful teachings of our Lord and had witnessed His mighty miracles, and had looked upon the risen Christ, and had witnessed His ascension into heaven from Mt. Olivet, when a cloud received Him out of sight.
Since that historic event, John had labored for the Lord, and had outlived his fellow apostles. Therefore, he was, the one recognized, APOSTOLIC LEADER of the early church yet living.
His courageous and faithful preaching of Christ, and his leadership of those early Christians, had attracted the attention, and persecution of his enemies no doubt, and for all this some believe that the Roman authorities, had sent him as an exile to the Isle of Patmos, located just off the coast of Asia Minor. At least God had a divine purpose in having John on the Isle of Patmos.
Patmos
One writer in describing the Isle of Patmos says: “It has neither trees nor rivers, nor any land for cultivation, except some little nooks between the ledges of rocks. There is still a dingy grotto remaining, in which the aged Apostle is said to have lived, and in which he is said to have had this vision.”
The aged Apostle, doomed to the place and circumstances of a convict, was NOT BOUND in spirit, however, and while he was there, (being in the Spirit,) that is, moved upon by the Holy Spirit, he soared as it were, on the wings of prophetic ecstasy, and traversed whole dispensations of time, and saw in panoramic vision the stupendous events of the great Day of the Lord. Shut out from the world and from earthly friends, he became conversant with spiritual realities, and with celestial beings, and was thrilled with visions of the exalted Redeemer, and with a revelation of things which God declared must come to pass.
Therefore, when John said that he was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, it may have had some reference to the Sabbath, but the broader meaning and application of this expression is, that John was MOVED UPON BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, and by the Spirit was transported, (as it were) by prophetic vision and understanding, into the great DAY OF THE LORD, with which the present age will end, and the new age begin.
Therefore, John was in the Isle that is called Patmos, for THE WORD OF GOD, and for the TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST! The Sound of The Trumpet
We are now ready to take up a study of those things which John saw on the Isle of Patmos by divine revelation. The first thing which arrested John’s attention was, “a great voice as of a trumpet, saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first end the last: and what thou seest, write it in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia.”
The reference here, “to a voice, AS OF A TRUMPET” was significant.
It was especially so to John, for John, (remember) was a CONVERTED JEW, and to every Jew the sound of the trumpet signified the presence of deity, and many other important things; for instance:
When God came down upon Mt. Sinai there was heard “the voice of a trumpet, exceeding loud.”
When the YEAR OF JUBILEE came around in Israel, it was ushered in by the sounding of a silver trumpet.
When the SERVICES IN THE TEMPLE were begun, and the Temple door was opened it was at the sound of the trumpet.
In 1 Thessalonians 4:16 we are told that: “The Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Arch Angel, and with THE TRUMP OF GOD: and the dead in Christ shall rise first.”
Also in 1 Corinthians 15:52, Paul says: “For THE TRUMPET SHALL SOUND, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”
Thus, from these, and many other scriptures, which could be cited, we discover the use of the trumpet, and realize that to John it signified the DEITY OF THE VOICE, or person who was speaking to him.
Now, it says that when John turned to see the voice which spake with him, “being turned he saw seven golden candlesticks, and in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of Man.”
In other words, the person he saw was none other than Jesus, the GLORIFIED SON OF GOD. The expression, “like unto the Son of man,” used here, would indicate that, while He was like UNTO A MAN, yet He was MORE THAN A MERE MAN. He was the GOD-MAN, as the very passage implies.
What we have, therefore, in this lesson is a COMPOSITE word picture of Jesus as He NOW IS, and as HE WILL APPEAR when He comes again.
Now we are told in Revelation 1:20, that the stars are the Angels, (or messengers,) of the seven churches; “and the CANDLESTICKS which thou sawest, He said, are the SEVEN CHURCHES.” The Number Seven
We pause, just here, to remind you that the NUMBER SEVEN, when used in the Scriptures, signifies PERFECTION, or COMPLETENESS, of the subject in question.
In our present Scripture lesson we see Jesus presented as being in the midst of the seven candlesticks: In other words, Jesus is presented here as being THE LORD and JUDGE, and PRIEST in the midst of all His churches, here upon earth, during this present Church age! The Garments of Christ
John gives particular attention to the manner in which Jesus was dressed, in this vision, which he had of the exalted Christ!
He says that He was dressed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
The garment described here is not so much descriptive of a Priest, as it is that of a ROYAL JUDGE, or that of a KING!
In Revelation 1:14 John mentions that, “His head and His hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and His eyes were as a flame of fire.”
Now, what do these things signify? The Scriptures tell us that, “the hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness.”
Daniel also in his vision say - “The Ancient of Days, whose garments was white as snow, and the hair of His head, like pure wool.”
White Hair
We all know that white hairs are symbolic of age and patriarchal dignity. And how old, (we may ask) is Jesus? Well, nobody knows! He said, Himself “before Abraham was, I am.” He is the second Adam, and has lived from eternity, and therefore, He is rightfully presented here WITH WHITE HAIR, which is symbolic of age and patriarchal dignity, for He is, from everlasting to everlasting, and His age is more than that of any other man who ever lived. His Eyes
Now, it says also, “His eyes were as a flame of fire.”
The eye, my friends, is the SYMBOL OF INTELLIGENCE. Therefore, we read in the Word that, “His eyes behold, His eyelids try the children of men.” And again it says: “Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in His sight; but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with which we have to do.”
Now, let us make an interesting comparison. The light of the human eye comes from without, and unless there is light outside of the eye, we cannot see! This goes to show how dark our lives really would be, if God did not send us light.
But not so with Jesus! The light in the eyes of Jesus, shines forth from the very deity WITHIN HIS BEING, and streams forth with all intelligence, and with penetrating sharpness, and there is no question but what Jesus can see as well in the darkness as in the day.
Truly, He possesses INTELLIGENCE and power to read the secrets of men’s hearts, and to bring HIDDEN THINGS TO LIGHT. Truly, He is a DISCERNER OF THE THOUGHTS and of the intents of the heart!
Therefore, we would all do well to pray the prayer which David offered, saying: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my thoughts, and see if there be any evil in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” His Feet
Now, in Revelation 1:15 it says of Christ: “His feet (were) like fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and His voice as the sound of many waters.”
Consider, my friends, the feet of Jesus.
- Once they walked the paths of Galilee, as Jesus went about doing good.
- Once they walked upon the water, and carried Him to His disciples in the midst of the storm in the dark wee hours of the night.
- Once they trod the lone sad way to the Garden of Gethsemane.
- Once they climbed up Golgotha’s rugged steps bearing a cross.
- Once upon that cross, they were pierced with cruel spikes.
From those wounded feet the precious blood of the Son of God flowed forth in love for you and me, to make an atonement for our sins. But here they are pictured to us under the SYMBOL OF GLOWING BRASS, as if it burned in a furnace. Brass in the Scriptures is used to SYMBOLIZE JUDGEMENT!
And even so it is, those same feet of the Son of God will come again; this time to TREAD DOWN THEIR ENEMIES, and to CRUSH OUT evil, and to override the abominations of the whole earth! His Voice
NOW, WHAT ABOUT HIS VOICE? How must it have sounded to those who heard Him say on the great day of the feast, “Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.”
HOW MUST IT HAVE SOUNDED to the Scribes and Pharisees when He cried out His woes against them, saying : “Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrits!”
HOW MUST IT HAVE SOUNDED when He cried with a loud voice for Lazarus to come forth from the grave!
HOW MUST IT HAVE SOUNDED when He wept over the sins of the City of Jerusalem?
When John saw Him here, His voice was described as having “the sound of many waters.”
Even so, my friends, for we read that the time is coming when all who are in the graves “shall hear the voice of the Son of Man, and they that hear, shall live.”
Yes, indeed, my friends, the voice of the Lord will one day awaken the dead, and will call those who are alive in Christ to come up higher.
HIS VOICE is full of MAJESTY and POWER, arid because of this, the wicked of the whole earth will be stricken with fear when they hear Him speak, and shall tremble at His presence. A Two Edged Sword And now, last of all, it says that, “Out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was as the sun shineth in His strength.”
These words seem to indicate the JUDICIAL PURPOSE for which Jesus will come again. THE SWORD IS A SYMBOL OF ROYAL AUTHORITY and POWER! The sword referred to here, however, was a Word-sword!
On one occasion Jesus said: “He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.”
Even so, my friends, THE WORD OF GOD is “Quick and powerful and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder, of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow.”
And so, by the POWER OF HIS WORD Jesus will execute judgment upon His church, and against the wicked of the whole earth.
John said: “His countenance shown as the Sun shineth in His strength.”
Conclusion Is it any wonder, therefore, we ask, that John the aged Apostle, and mighty man of God, when He had received this divine revelation of the glorified Son of God, fell at His feet as dead? Indeed not!
DANIEL, and ISAIAH and EZEKIEL, all of them, when they received visions of the Lord, were affected much in the same way.
It seems impossible for man in his present state, no matter how much grace He may have received, to look upon the person of one so high and holy, and so full of power, and divine majesty, without being smitten with fear.
But unto John He said: “Fear not, I am the first and the last: I am He that liveth, and was dead; and behold, I am alive for ever more, Amen! and have the keys of hell and death.”
~ end of lecture 4 ~