Follow Him

And chapter one. Now, I know what some of you are thinking. We're finding it difficult to get rid of this funny little man from England who speaks with a rather strange accent.

By the way, I think you're the ones with the accent, not me. But I was here two weeks ago for Mount Stirling and that was a real pleasure. And I've long said to the folks here at Stout that I would like to come for the conference and we just haven't been able to fit it in over recent years.

But very nice to be here this year and a great pleasure to see so many gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus and to share with my brethren too. So it's all right. I'll be running away again.

Flew in yesterday. Be flying out again Monday and then you won't see me for a long time, I suspect. So just enjoy the privilege now.

Revelation and chapter one. Verse number 10. John says this.

I was in the spirit on the Lord's day and I 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 to the seven churches. Verse 12.

And I turned to see the voice that spake with me and being turned, I saw seven golden lampstands. And in the midst of the seven lampstands, one like unto the son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot and girt about the paps, the breasts with a golden girdle. And verse 17.

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.

I am he that liveth and was dead and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of hell and of death.

Now just across to chapter five. Verse one. And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written.

It was written within and on the backside sealed with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, who is worthy to open the book and to loose the seals thereof? And no man in heaven nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. And I wept much because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.

And one of the elders saith unto me, weep not. Behold the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David. He hath prevailed to open the book and to loose the seven seals thereof.

And I beheld and lo in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, the living creatures and in the midst of the elders, there stood not a lion, there stood a lamb. That's in the diminutive form. So it's a young lamb.

There stood a young lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God. Now just towards the end of the book, chapter 19. Verse 11.

I saw heaven opened and behold a white horse. And he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True. And in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

His eyes were as a flame of fire. On his head were many crowns, diadems. And he had a name written that no man knew but he himself.

And his name is called the Word of God. Verse 16. He hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King of Kings.

And Lord of Lords. Now just one more verse, please. Chapter 21 or perhaps two verses here.

Chapter 21 and verse 22. John now, of course, is speaking about the eternal city. He's speaking about the holy Jerusalem.

I believe this will be the dwelling place of the redeemed for eternity. Verse 22 of 21. And I saw no temple therein.

No temple in this city. For the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of that city. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon to shine in it.

For the glory of God did lighten it. And the Lamb is the lamp. He is the light thereof.

Now just back to chapter 1. And we trust that God will, as he always does, add a blessing to the reading of his word. Now I want to speak to you in the next 25 minutes or so. I want to speak to you about my favorite subject.

Now my favorite subject as yours is the person of the Lord Jesus. I want to speak to you about Christ. I want to speak to you about him in particular as he is revealed in this last book of the Bible, in the Revelation.

And we didn't read this, but you will notice that. Chapter 1, verse 1 of Revelation says this, the revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him. And you're being told right at the outset of this book that this book sings and it speaks of the person of the Lord Jesus.

You can, in fact, read that statement like this. You can read it in one of two ways. The revelation that comes from Jesus Christ.

I think probably and primarily that's the way you should take the statement. If you read what the rest of the verse says, the revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave to him to show to his servants things that must shortly come to pass. He sent and signified it by his angel to John, to the seven churches.

That seems to be the context of the statement. So that this whole book, this last book of your Bible, the Revelation, it is a revelation that comes from Jesus Christ. It's a revelation that God gave to him and through him to John and through John to the churches and ultimately to you and to me.

Now, we know, don't we, that the person of the Lord Jesus is the revelation of all that God is. So we're not surprised that this book is a revelation that comes from Jesus Christ. In the beginning was the Word, the Logos.

He is the person by whom God has spoken and he is the person by whom we have received the revelation that we have. So probably you should read that statement in its context like this. The revelation that comes from Jesus Christ.

But you can also read it like this. The revelation that concerns Jesus Christ. I like that.

If that is the case, here is a book that reveals the person of Christ. Here is a book that speaks well of him. And of course, that's the only way to understand your Bible, isn't it? Your Bible from beginning to end is a revelation that concerns Jesus Christ.

He is the foremost of all of God's plans and purposes. Christ is all and in all. And this book only really makes sense if you have Christ right in the center of its interpretation.

Here is a book that in a very special way is the revelation that concerns Jesus Christ. And this is what I want to do in this session. And if you might think this is a bit presumptuous, but if I speak to you again over the weekend, I will probably continue to develop this thought.

But I just love to think of the person of Christ as he's revealed in this last book of the Bible. And I think actually that you can divide the book of the revelation by how Christ is presented therein. Now, this is the way that I would do it.

First of all, I think that in Revelation 1, 2 and 3, Christ is being presented to us there as the Lord. Now, think about what we read, for example, in verse number 10. John says, I was in the spirit on the Lord's day.

A day that's so special, a day that's so important to Christians, that first day of the week, that day on which the Lord Jesus was raised from the dead, that day on which the church was formed, that day that is so special to Christians for those reasons. John says, I was in the spirit on the day that belongs to the Lord. And then the Lord Jesus appeared to him in such glory and such majesty.

And John found himself, John just found himself there on his face, prostrate before that Lord, bowed down at his feet as one that was dead. That's our right and proper position, isn't it? Before one who is the Lord. It's our right and proper position to be down before him.

So I think in those opening three chapters, and you know that there's this great revelation of Christ, this great vision of Christ, and then there are what the Lord has to say to these churches. It's the Lord amongst the lampstand. It's the Lord of the churches.

No doubt in my mind that Revelation 1, 2, 3 is all about the Lord. And then you come to chapter 4 and chapter 5. And what an outstanding picture. What an outstanding description of the very throne room of God himself.

If you never thought in too much detail about that description of God's throne room, it's quite incredible. You know, it's not just on, well, there's not just the horizontal plane, there's also the vertical plane. It's almost as if God is dwelling in his heaven and that heaven is a sphere.

There are various individuals and various angelic beings that are all gathered in concentric circles, it seems, on the horizontal sphere around God, around the throne of God. And then on the vertical throne, there is a rainbow, a complete rainbow that is surrounding the throne of God. So that every judgment, every decree, every commandment that comes out of that throne is governed by the rainbow, is governed by the Word of God and the promise of God.

You say, what a scene that fills our gaze in Revelation 4 and 5. And yet, right in the midst of the throne, we've been thinking about it already this morning, right in the midst of the throne, almost as if he is the center of heaven's attention, there is a little lamb as it had been slain. Now, I know the elder says, weep not John, behold the lion of the tribe of Judah. He has overcome, he has prevailed to take this book, to loose the seals.

But John, as he looks, he sees a little lamb. And Mark you, don't think this little lamb is weak, please. Don't think because this little lamb has the marks of slaughter upon it, that he is not powerful and that he is not almighty.

You read the verses that go, here is a lamb standing, once slain, now standing on the other side of death. And you know what I'm going to say to you? I think Revelation 4 and Revelation 5 is all about Christ as the lion. One who has shed his precious blood at Calvary.

One who has bought back to God, humanity, the world, the universe. One who alone is worthy to loose those seals and ultimately to claim his inheritance. So Christ is the Lord and Christ is the lamb.

Now, this is a big jump, I understand. But when it is that you come to Revelation 6, and William has set the scene very nicely for us. He's already led us into some of these chapters.

When it is that you come to Revelation 6, and I would say this runs all the way through to 20. So that Revelation 6 to Revelation 20 is a great scene of judgment. And that lamb is going to go and take the scroll and he's going to unloose the seals.

He's going to unroll the scroll ultimately. But when every single one of those seals is being unloosed, then judgments are coming down upon the earth. You know that there are three series of seven judgments.

There are the seals, and then the seals will unravel the trumpets, and then the trumpets will sound for the vials. And all of those awful judgments that are falling upon earth in seven years of tribulation, I will not be here. Christ is my Deliverer, away from the wrath to come.

But nevertheless, Revelation 6 to 20, there's judgment after judgment after judgment. Judgments that are falling upon the nations. Judgments that are falling upon Babylon.

Judgments that are falling on the first beast. Judgment falling on the false prophet. Judgment falling upon the devil.

It's judgment after judgment after judgment. And you say, what is Christ in those chapters? Well, He's not so much the Lord or the Lamb. Now He's the Lion.

I know He's not mentioned as the Lion. He's mentioned as the Lion in chapter 5. But were you to go to Joel chapter 3, I think it's verse 16. The Word of God tells us that in that tribulation period, and come the consummation of the tribulation, when Christ is revealed in glory, we've been reading in chapter 19, when Christ is revealed in glory, then it is that the Lord shall roar from Zion.

Isn't He glorious as the Lion? The Lion of the tribe of Judah. And that's what He's doing through those chapters. The Lion Himself is roaring as those judgments are falling upon the earth.

And then, of course, as the Lion of the tribe of Judah, He has the right to reign upon the earth. In chapter 19, He is the King of kings. And He's the Lord of lords.

He's coming out of heaven to destroy His enemies. He is King David's greatest son. He has the authority to reign.

He will sit on David's throne here on the earth. Those chapters are all about the Lion. So that takes you to the end of the Revelation, doesn't it? And you say, well, what about the last two chapters? Now, there are a number of different ways to divide the book of the Revelation.

I'm just dividing it for you in relation to the person of Christ. When you come to those last two chapters, 21 and 22, now, this isn't difficult. You say, what is Christ in those chapters? Now, we're not going to get to those chapters, but you will notice, please, verse 23 of chapter 21, the city had no need of the sun.

The city had no need of the moon to shine in it because the glory of God did lighten it. And the Lamb is the lamp. He is the light thereof.

What an outstanding statement. What a consummation and conclusion to the Word of God. Here is an eternal city.

Now, I'm not going to say anything more about this over the weekend, so I've got to squeeze it in here. Here is an eternal city. Here is the holy Jerusalem.

You say, what is that city like? Well, that city, there is no temple therein. You say, it's unbelievable. If that city is going to be the eternal dwelling place of the saints and you say, actually, there's no temple within this city.

You say, where are we going to worship in that eternal day? Where will you and I worship before the Lord? You say, if there's no temple that we can go to, is there any synagogue in this? Please tell me there's a gospel hall in this city. Is there? Where are we going to go and worship? No, no, come on. Read the verse again.

The verse will tell you, no temple. For the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple. Understand this, the entirety of the city is a temple and every person that dwells in that city is dwelling in the immediate and the intimate presence of the Almighty God and the Lamb of God.

You say, what wisdom belongs to God? Isn't it incredible when you look back to the Old Testament, when you see a people that literally were fearful to go anywhere near the august presence of an Almighty God. You think about a people who dwelt outside of the tabernacle. Here is the Shekinah glory in the holy of holies.

You are fearful to approach unto a holy God. Only the high priest could go into the presence of God and that with incense and with blood. Once a year, it was impossible to be near God.

Men and women were shut out of His presence. They were divided from Him by curtains and compartments and you come to the end of revelation and God's people are eternally dwelling in the immediate presence of God. Bless His name, what a God He is.

To take poor vile sinners like us and to be able to so cleanse us and redeem us as to make us fit for His presence and mark this, dear brother, dear sister, we've got that privilege even today, haven't we? In a spiritual sense, we have that privilege today. We have boldness. We even have freedom of speech to enter right into the presence of God in a spiritual sense, outstanding.

But that's not just, look at the next verse. The city had no need of the sun and the city had no need of the moon to shine in it. Why? Because the glory of God lightens that city.

And the Lamb, He is the light thereof. The radiance of God's glory is going to enlighten and illuminate that city in the person of the Lord Jesus for all of eternity. Now, isn't that a fitting consummation, by the way, to the Word of God? You say, how did the Word of God begin? Well, it began a bit like this.

Do you remember in Genesis 1? In the beginning, God said, and what did God say? God said, let there be light and there was light. You say that's impossible, really, because God hadn't yet created the sun. You say the sun hasn't been made yet.

God says, let there be light. You say, well, we need a sun first as a source of light. No, no, no.

You are being taught right from the very outset of your Bible that God Himself is the source of light. It comes from Him. So God said, let there be light and there was light.

Christ is the source of light. What does light speak of in the Word of God? Well, light speaks of life. And light speaks of revelation.

And light speaks of purity. And you're being taught from the very beginning, and even at the very end, that the ultimate source of truth, and the ultimate source of purity, and the ultimate source of life is not the sun. It's God and it's Christ.

And here now is an eternal city and the Lamb. He is the Lamb thereof. What do you think of my little sermon? So there's the revelation.

Christ is the Lord. He's the Lamb. He's the Lion.

He's the light. Now back to chapter one, I'll say a few things just in the next 10 minutes about Christ as the Lord. And then I'll sit down for another brother.

He's being presented as Supreme Lord. Lord. You understand that in these chapters, and I'm not going to talk about chapters one to three at all, but you understand that the Lord Jesus here, especially in chapter one, He is being presented as the one who is supremely qualified to judge.

That's what the book is all about. It's a book of judgment. And the Lord Jesus is one who is supremely qualified to judge because He's the Son of Man.

And to Him all judgment has been committed. And to Him all authority belongs. So He's not just presented as the Lord.

You'll notice in verse 13, one like unto the Son of Man. So here is one to whom eternal dominion and authority belongs. You're back in Daniel 7. And in Daniel 7, the Ancient of Days, and one that was brought before Him, the Son of Man.

And to Him was given a kingdom. And to Him was given authority. Here is one who has supreme qualification to judge.

That's why He has eyes as a flame of fire. That's why He has feet as burning brass. He will tread down all of His enemies.

And you say, Brother Dan, you've told us already that throughout this book, judgment on the nations, judgment in the tribulation, judgment upon Babylon, judgment upon the devil, judgment upon the devil's henchmen. Very good. You say, but the judgment doesn't start until six.

Are you sure? I suggest to you very solemnly that judgment begins at the house of God. Judgment begins in Revelation 2. Judgment continues in Revelation 3. And here is one who has eyes as a flame of fire. And He commends where He can.

And He condemns where He must. And you cannot deceive the Lord of the churches. May I solemnly say to all of us this morning, gathered in the presence of Christ, it is a most serious and solemn thing to be a Christian, to belong to the fellowship of a local assembly.

Judgment begins with us. It's our responsibility to be right in our personal lives. We've spoken of holiness.

It's our responsibility to be right in our relationships with one another. Let me tell you, that's 50% of the law. Love the Lord thy God.

Love thy name. May I remind you of the solemn responsibility as assemblies of God's people to be in conformity with the teaching and the pattern and the practices of the New Testament. Because judgment begins at the house of God.

That's not just a judgment seat. That could be now. As Christ is walking in the midst of those lampstands, sadly, He has to say, repent.

And sadly, He has to say, I will remove the lampstand. Here is one who's supremely qualified to judge. I'd love to talk to you, but I need to sit down.

I'd love to talk to you about His communication. You'll notice there's one here who has a voice as the sound of many water. Here is one who, like a cascade, like a waterfall.

Here is one who drowns out every other sound. Who drowns out every other voice. Here is the power and the authority of the Son of Man.

We thank God for the beautiful language and communication of the Lord Jesus. You think of His countenance, verse 16. It's not just His face.

It's the whole of His outward appearance. He's characterized by dazzling splendor. It's like the glory of the unclouded sun shining out of His face.

You say, what a glorious person He is. You know, when He was here 2,000 years ago, that countenance, that visage, it was marred more than any man. And His form more than the sons of men.

But not now. Now He's beyond all of that. And whether it's His communication or whether it's His countenance, He's all glorious.

And John is just falling down at His feet as one that was dead. I like that, by the way. Here's John's confession.

Do you remember John in the opening of his first epistle? He says, do you know, as a disciple, as an apostle, says John, I had the privilege of just being in His company. Says John, when Christ was here 2,000 years ago, well, it wasn't 2,000 years ago then to John, but when Christ was here, says John, I was with Him. Says John, I heard Him.

I listened to Him. Says John, I looked upon Him. I gazed at Him.

Says John, I even had the privilege, my hands of handling. The One who is the Word of Life. There's no handling Him now, John.

John can't even gaze upon Him now. John can't even behold Him. John is just falling down at His feet as one that was dead.

You say, how old was John at this point? John was an old man at this point in time. John was in his 90s. And if tradition is to be believed, John is going to be released from prison, or he's going to be released from Patmos very soon, and he's going to spend his last few days in Ephesus.

Not long, of course, until John will enter death. And isn't it lovely that the Lord will just lay His hand on John and say, fear not, John. He says, here are three reasons why you shouldn't fear death.

Number one, I'm the first and I'm the last. John, death is an imposter in this world. John, I existed before death ever came into this scene.

He says, I am the first. Death came by sin, but I was here before sin. And I was here before death.

He says, I am the first. And he says, John, I'll be here after death has been abolished. Long after death has been finished.

I am the first and I am the last. Thank God it's Him who will abolish death. Him who will destroy the last enemy.

John, don't fear death. I was here before death. I'll be here after death.

John, I've experienced death. He says, I am the one who became dead. And behold, I am alive forevermore.

John, don't fear death. I've been there before you. I've been right through death.

I've come out the other side and I live eternally. Oh, and by the way, John, I've got the keys of hell. The place of the departed dead and death.

The place for the soul. The place for the body. I am the one who controls access and controls exit to death.

John, don't fear death. I am the first. By the way, the sky, not the grave, is our God.

We're looking for the soon coming of Christ. To be caught away to meet Him. Ever beyond this veil of sorrow and tears.

Ever beyond the reach of death. To be with Him eternally. But if God causes us and calls us to pass through death.

Hallelujah. He's been there before. What an encouragement from this glorious Lord.

He's not just the Lord of the churches, is He? He's Lord of life. And He's Lord over death. And here He is walking in the midst of golden lampstands.

My brother, my sister, have you ever thought of a local church as represented, symbolized in a golden lampstand? That's how valuable a local assembly is to Christ. He's right in the midst of them and He's equidistant from every one of them. You say, hang on a minute, Dan.

Not Thyatira. Thyatira wasn't a golden lampstand. Come on.

Do you know what was happening at Thyatira? Whisper it, but there was a sister in Thyatira who was preaching. She was preaching in the assembly Bible teaching meeting. And her name, probably symbolically, not literally, is Jezebel.

You say that assembly can't be a golden lampstand, can it? So far diverting from the word of truth. Oh no, they were all golden lampstands. They were all precious to Christ.

They were all displaying in some way something of the character of God and the character of the Spirit of God who established those assemblies. And yes, there were things wrong in Thyatira. And yes, there were things that needed to be right in Thyatira.

And yes, there must be repentance or else the lampstand removed. Judgment begins at house of God, but precious to Christ. Can I say to you, dear folks, you say I'm in an assembly of just a few saints.

Well, you've got a little strength. That's Philadelphia. Thank God there's something precious in every local assembly for Christ.

And there should be something of the character and glory of God in every local assembly. Again for Him. And Christ is just walking in the midst of those lampstands.

I'm finished. By the way, the assembly is not the lamp. It's the stand of the lamp.

It's not a candle. It's a reciprocal that holds, a receptacle, I should say, that holds oil. A bowl of oil.

You put the wick in the oil. You light the wick and the bowl sits on top of a lampstand. It's like a pedestal or it hangs from the lampstand.

You say, what's the assembly? It's just the stand. You say, who or what is the lamp? Come on, that's where I started. The lamb is the lamp thereof.

That's our responsibility, isn't it? That's why we're here today is to glorify Him. It's to honor Him. It's to lift Him high above all.

God will bless His word to us.