Rev 1:12-16 | KingComments | STEP | . With a “behold” John draws the attention to Him Who will appear in person. This is the great event toward which the whole book is working. It is said in a way that it should not be looked forward to only later, but already now. You may call it the ‘prophetic present tense’. It indicates how real and close the events are, not only for John in those days, but also for you today. The Lord Jesus will appear “with the clouds of heaven” ( ) and also “on the clouds of the sky” ( ) which, as it were, form His throne. So it is not about His coming to take up the church, which you may call His first coming, for that will take place “in the clouds”, and will not be visible for everyone ( ; cf. ; ). That will surely be the case at His second coming. Everyone will come face to face with Him, no man excepted. Of all those people John mentions a certain category, namely, “those who pierced Him”. This primarily refers to the Jews ( ), but it also refers to the Gentiles, for a Roman soldier pierced Him ( ). They who committed this deed of contempt will be full of fear when they behold Him. It will cause an enormous mourning among the Jews ( ), which will be the beginning of their conversion. This is the way it will happen, “so it is to be. Amen”. ‘So it is to be’ or ‘yes’ is the Greek confirmation and ‘amen’ the Hebrew version of it, indicating for Gentiles and Jews that God’s Word is established. . Then He, Who is coming, makes Himself heard. He says Who He is: “I am the Alpha and the Omega.” The alpha and the omega are the first and the last letter of the Greek alphabet. In these two letters all the other letters are embedded. In this name you also see that He is ‘the Word of God’. What He has started as the Alpha He will accomplish as the Omega. He Who shall come and is speaking here is the Lord Jesus. He is ‘the first and the last’ ( ). That is also what Yahweh, LORD, the name of God in the Old Testament, says of Himself ( ), which is again another proof that the Lord Jesus is Yahweh. He Who is speaking is ‘Yahweh Elohim’ or “the Lord God”, which is the Lord Jesus. He is the One “who is”, the Eternal One. He “was” and will always be. He is also the One “who is to come”. He is the Almighty Who will realize all His promises and plans. He Who was pierced, when He as the weakness of God was hanging on the cross, is Yahweh Himself, “the Almighty”, Who has all power in the universe and Who is about to reveal that power. This is a comfort for His people, because He carries and supports them with His omnipotence. At the same time it is a threat for His enemies, because He will judge them and render to every man according to his works. . No one else than John addresses his readers. He doesn’t present himself as an apostle, but as a “brother” among the brethren. In his Gospel he calls himself “the disciple” ( ), and in his letters “the elder” ( ; ). He also calls himself “fellow partaker in the tribulation” from which we derive that he shares the same fate as his fellow believers who also had to endure suffering under the emperor of Rome. Tribulation goes together with faith. It is the path along which you must enter the kingdom of God ( ). The time to reign has not come yet. You still have to persevere, right through all kinds of tribulations and tests, till the moment comes to reign. When the Lord Jesus returns, that is when it will be. You may remember that the Lord Jesus is also still waiting for the establishment of the kingdom. John speaks about “Jesus” here, which is the Name of His humiliation and a reminder of His sojourn on earth. When He was on earth He also showed that perseverance. When Pilate asks Him if He is the King of the Jews, He testifies that He is, but adds : “But as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm” ( ). Pay attention to the words ‘but as it is’. It shows that during His presence on earth He did not established His kingdom. That establishment is future even now. John testified from God’s Word of that kingdom. This was not to the liking of the Roman ruler who saw in it a threat to his own kingdom and position (cf. ) and therefore expelled him to “the island called Patmos”. John did not speak what men loved to hear, otherwise he would not have been a captive now. He was ‘uneducated’ ( ), but he spoke the Word of God with power and authority. In his preaching he testified to Jesus, Who is the center of all God’s thoughts and plans. . There John was sitting, isolated and lonesome on an island. He is not voluntarily there, to have a break, but as a captive. He was exiled to that place, without any prospect of release. It doesn’t look like that he could expect a visit from time to time. But it doesn’t mean that the Lord was not with him and that the Spirit could not use him. On the day of the Lord, literally: the day pertaining to the Lord, the first day of the week (cf. ) he felt into a trance through the power of the Holy Spirit (cf. ). The day of the Lord, the first day of the week, is the day of His resurrection ( , ; ). On this day John receives all information and visions that are written in this book. But before he sees something, he hears something behind him. It is as if he is standing with his back to the churches, while he is looking at the kingdom in the expectation that it will come. But the Lord has not finished yet with His church on earth. He has to deal with it first. He calls John to look, so that he has to turn and must pay attention to what the Lord is paying attention to. What he hears is “a loud voice like [the sound] of a trumpet”. It is not the voice of the good Shepherd, Who calls His sheep by name. He heard that voice when he walked with the Lord Jesus through Israel ( ). But now he hears the voice of an ominous Judge, of Someone Who pronounces and executes judgment. . The voice of the Judge commands John to write in a book what he sees. That implies that he must sharply observe and take in. All his observations must then be documented in writings so that they will be preserved for later generations. However, the book is not only meaningful for later generations, but also for the seven named churches in Asia Minor, in the western part of present-day Turkey. There were more churches in Asia Minor. But the Holy Spirit of God has chosen these seven because they are, as a matter of fact, a reflection of the church in its whole through the ages. That’s why it says “the” seven churches. It is these seven particular churches to which this book should be sent. That there are seven, shows that it is about something complete. It is about the complete history of the church on earth. Also the order is not random, but of certain importance. You will see that when we will take a closer look at these seven churches in the next two chapters. At the same time, each church is also mentioned separately, which you can derive from the word “to” that is before the name of each church. . When John heard the voice and what it has said, he turns. He wants to see the voice that was speaking with him. Of course you cannot see a voice, but the voice is of a person. That Person is the Lord Jesus. He is the Word. When John turns he first sees “seven golden lampstands” and then only he sees the Son of Man. Isn’t it like how it happens today, that we first see the believers and then only, as it were through them, the Lord Jesus? John notices that the lampstands are of gold. Gold represents the glory of God. A lampstand is meant to spread light. Therefore, the fact that the churches are compared with golden lampstands means that the purpose of local churches is to spread Divine light. Each local church ought to display in its environment Who God is. It can only do that by taking His Word into consideration. By listening to the truth of God’s Word and obeying it, the light will be spread in the darkness. Darkness rules everywhere in the world and it covers more and more places in professing Christianity. You will see how it happened that the light of the lampstand is getting weaker and weaker and that even a situation can arise that a lampstand is taken away. Now read Revelation 1:7-12 again. Reflection: What is the reason for John being on Patmos?

‏ Revelation of John 1:12-16

John on Patmos

Rev 1:7. With a “behold” John draws the attention to Him Who will appear in person. This is the great event toward which the whole book is working. It is said in a way that it should not be looked forward to only later, but already now. You may call it the ‘prophetic present tense’. It indicates how real and close the events are, not only for John in those days, but also for you today.

The Lord Jesus will appear “with the clouds of heaven” (Dan 7:13) and also “on the clouds of the sky” (Mt 24:30) which, as it were, form His throne. So it is not about His coming to take up the church, which you may call His first coming, for that will take place “in the clouds”, and will not be visible for everyone (1Thes 4:17; cf. Acts 1:9; Lk 21:27). That will surely be the case at His second coming. Everyone will come face to face with Him, no man excepted.

Of all those people John mentions a certain category, namely, “those who pierced Him”. This primarily refers to the Jews (Zec 12:10), but it also refers to the Gentiles, for a Roman soldier pierced Him (Jn 19:34). They who committed this deed of contempt will be full of fear when they behold Him. It will cause an enormous mourning among the Jews (Zec 12:10-14), which will be the beginning of their conversion. This is the way it will happen, “so it is to be. Amen”. ‘So it is to be’ or ‘yes’ is the Greek confirmation and ‘amen’ the Hebrew version of it, indicating for Gentiles and Jews that God’s Word is established.

Rev 1:8. Then He, Who is coming, makes Himself heard. He says Who He is: “I am the Alpha and the Omega.” The alpha and the omega are the first and the last letter of the Greek alphabet. In these two letters all the other letters are embedded. In this name you also see that He is ‘the Word of God’. What He has started as the Alpha He will accomplish as the Omega. He Who shall come and is speaking here is the Lord Jesus. He is ‘the first and the last’ (Rev 1:17 ; Rev 2:8 ; Rev 22:13). That is also what Yahweh, LORD, the name of God in the Old Testament, says of Himself (Isa 41:4 ; Isa 44:6 ; Isa 48:12), which is again another proof that the Lord Jesus is Yahweh.

He Who is speaking is ‘Yahweh Elohim’ or “the Lord God”, which is the Lord Jesus. He is the One “who is”, the Eternal One. He “was” and will always be. He is also the One “who is to come”. He is the Almighty Who will realize all His promises and plans. He Who was pierced, when He as the weakness of God was hanging on the cross, is Yahweh Himself, “the Almighty”, Who has all power in the universe and Who is about to reveal that power. This is a comfort for His people, because He carries and supports them with His omnipotence. At the same time it is a threat for His enemies, because He will judge them and render to every man according to his works.

Rev 1:9. No one else than John addresses his readers. He doesn’t present himself as an apostle, but as a “brother” among the brethren. In his Gospel he calls himself “the disciple” (Jn 21:24), and in his letters “the elder” (2Jn 1:1; 3Jn 1:1). He also calls himself “fellow partaker in the tribulation” from which we derive that he shares the same fate as his fellow believers who also had to endure suffering under the emperor of Rome. Tribulation goes together with faith. It is the path along which you must enter the kingdom of God (Acts 14:22).

The time to reign has not come yet. You still have to persevere, right through all kinds of tribulations and tests, till the moment comes to reign. When the Lord Jesus returns, that is when it will be. You may remember that the Lord Jesus is also still waiting for the establishment of the kingdom.

John speaks about “Jesus” here, which is the Name of His humiliation and a reminder of His sojourn on earth. When He was on earth He also showed that perseverance. When Pilate asks Him if He is the King of the Jews, He testifies that He is, but adds : “But as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm” (Jn 18:36). Pay attention to the words ‘but as it is’. It shows that during His presence on earth He did not established His kingdom. That establishment is future even now.

John testified from God’s Word of that kingdom. This was not to the liking of the Roman ruler who saw in it a threat to his own kingdom and position (cf. Acts 17:7) and therefore expelled him to “the island called Patmos”. John did not speak what men loved to hear, otherwise he would not have been a captive now. He was ‘uneducated’ (Acts 4:13), but he spoke the Word of God with power and authority. In his preaching he testified to Jesus, Who is the center of all God’s thoughts and plans.

Rev 1:10. There John was sitting, isolated and lonesome on an island. He is not voluntarily there, to have a break, but as a captive. He was exiled to that place, without any prospect of release. It doesn’t look like that he could expect a visit from time to time. But it doesn’t mean that the Lord was not with him and that the Spirit could not use him. On the day of the Lord, literally: the day pertaining to the Lord, the first day of the week (cf. 1Cor 11:20) he felt into a trance through the power of the Holy Spirit (cf. Acts 10:10 ; Acts 22:17). The day of the Lord, the first day of the week, is the day of His resurrection (Jn 20:1 ; 19, Acts 20:7; 1Cor 16:2). On this day John receives all information and visions that are written in this book.

But before he sees something, he hears something behind him. It is as if he is standing with his back to the churches, while he is looking at the kingdom in the expectation that it will come. But the Lord has not finished yet with His church on earth. He has to deal with it first. He calls John to look, so that he has to turn and must pay attention to what the Lord is paying attention to.

What he hears is “a loud voice like [the sound] of a trumpet”. It is not the voice of the good Shepherd, Who calls His sheep by name. He heard that voice when he walked with the Lord Jesus through Israel (Jn 10:11 ; 14). But now he hears the voice of an ominous Judge, of Someone Who pronounces and executes judgment.

Rev 1:11. The voice of the Judge commands John to write in a book what he sees. That implies that he must sharply observe and take in. All his observations must then be documented in writings so that they will be preserved for later generations. However, the book is not only meaningful for later generations, but also for the seven named churches in Asia Minor, in the western part of present-day Turkey.

There were more churches in Asia Minor. But the Holy Spirit of God has chosen these seven because they are, as a matter of fact, a reflection of the church in its whole through the ages. That’s why it says “the” seven churches. It is these seven particular churches to which this book should be sent. That there are seven, shows that it is about something complete. It is about the complete history of the church on earth.

Also the order is not random, but of certain importance. You will see that when we will take a closer look at these seven churches in the next two chapters. At the same time, each church is also mentioned separately, which you can derive from the word “to” that is before the name of each church.

Rev 1:12. When John heard the voice and what it has said, he turns. He wants to see the voice that was speaking with him. Of course you cannot see a voice, but the voice is of a person. That Person is the Lord Jesus. He is the Word. When John turns he first sees “seven golden lampstands” and then only he sees the Son of Man. Isn’t it like how it happens today, that we first see the believers and then only, as it were through them, the Lord Jesus?

John notices that the lampstands are of gold. Gold represents the glory of God. A lampstand is meant to spread light. Therefore, the fact that the churches are compared with golden lampstands means that the purpose of local churches is to spread Divine light.

Each local church ought to display in its environment Who God is. It can only do that by taking His Word into consideration. By listening to the truth of God’s Word and obeying it, the light will be spread in the darkness. Darkness rules everywhere in the world and it covers more and more places in professing Christianity. You will see how it happened that the light of the lampstand is getting weaker and weaker and that even a situation can arise that a lampstand is taken away.

Now read Revelation 1:7-12 again.

Reflection: What is the reason for John being on Patmos?

In the Middle of the Lampstands

Rev 1:13. After having seen the golden lampstands, John sees Someone standing in the middle of them. John recognizes Him as no one else than the “Son of Man”, that is the Lord Jesus (cf. Dan 7:9-13). He is standing here – figuratively – in the middle of the churches, in order to judge them. That can be derived from the characteristics that are then observed by John. You find these characteristics also in Daniel 7, but there as characteristics of the Ancient of days, that is God Himself. That proves once more that the Lord Jesus is God. The wearied Man sitting by the well at Sychar (Jn 4:6) and the Creator Who ”does not become weary or tired” (Isa 40:28) is the same Person.

The first characteristic of the Son of Man is that He is “clothed in a robe reaching to the feet”. He is not the Servant here Who lays aside His garments to serve His disciples as a humble Servant (Jn 13:4; cf. Lk 12:35). It is the garment of the Judge. The Lord Jesus judges the church in connection with the responsibility it has as a testimony on earth (cf. 1Pet 4:17).

The second characteristic is that He is “girded across His chest with a golden sash”. His “chest” speaks of love. ‘Gold’ speaks of Divine glory. The “sash” speaks of serving. From this you can derive that He also as a Judge serves in love.

Rev 1:14. He carries out His service as Judge reverently and with wisdom and in accordance with the purity of heaven. That is what the next characteristic refers to: “His head and His hair were white like white wool” (Pro 16:31 ; Pro 20:29).

The following characteristic, “His eyes were like a flame of fire”, indicates that He sees through everything and tests everything that is not in accordance with His holiness. Nothing can remain hidden from this flame of fire. This is how He tests the entire professing Christianity of which the seven churches are a picture.

Rev 1:15. That “His feet [were] like burnished bronze” means that the standard of His judgment is His own walk. What He should expect of the spiritual condition of the church is that it responds to what He has shown in His walk on earth in dedication to God. “Bronze” is a picture of a righteousness that can stand the fire of God’s judgment (Num 16:37-39), because there is nothing that has to be consumed by the fire. Everything is in accordance with God.

While He shows Himself in this way, “His voice [was] like the sound of many waters” (Eze 43:2; Psa 93:4). This expresses the power of His words with which He will pronounce the judgment. The power of His voice will prevent any possible reply. No one will dare to dispute His verdict.

Rev 1:16. He also has “in His right hand … seven stars”. What the seven stars mean is explained in Rev 1:20. They are the seven angels, that is, the responsible ones in each of the seven churches. The Lord Jesus has them in His right hand, which is the hand of His power. That indicates that He has the control over them.

The “sharp two-edged sword” that came “out of His mouth” (Isa 11:4; Rev 2:12 ; 16 ; Rev 19:15 ; 21), is a picture of the Word of God (Heb 4:12; Eph 6:17). Christ judges the churches by this Word, which they have known, but neglected in so many ways. The Divine, revealed Word is the standard according to which everyone will be judged (Jn 12:48). It will have to be acknowledged by everyone.

The description of His Person is concluded with a description of “His face”. That is “like the sun shining in its strength” (Mt 17:2; Acts 26:13; Mal 4:2). The sun places everything in the light, nothing remains hidden. His countenance is the same countenance at which people have been spitting (Mt 26:67).

Rev 1:17. When John has seen Him in His full majesty, he fells “at His feet like a dead man”. The sight is so terrifying that he almost dies. When the Lord was on earth John knew the confidential intercourse with Him and was reclining on His bosom (Jn 13:23-25). But now he sees the Lord as he has never seen Him before.

Then the Lord “placed His right hand” on him. That expression doesn’t only mean that the Lord touches him and in that way comforts and encourages him. The touch of the hand has life giving power. To John it is a remembrance that this Judge is His Redeemer. To you it implies the encouragement that you have nothing to fear of Him, Who will judge Christianity, if you know Him and love Him.

That is also said by the Lord. The words “do not be afraid” from His mouth have been a great comfort and encouragement for the believers through all ages. He points to Himself as “the first and the last”. As “the first” He is before everything and above everything and the origin of all things; everything comes from Him. As “the last” He will have the last word. Why should you fear? He is the rock of strength for the wearied feet and for the heaviest burdens of life.

Rev 1:18. He is also “the living One”. This is the great distinction between the true God and all false gods. He has life in Himself. He is able to give it to others too (Jn 5:21 ; 24-26). To be able to do that He has been in death. Therefore John did not need to become like a dead. Death could not hold Him, for in His death He took away everything through which death had power.

Death has lost its power and right and will never ever be able to have any control over Him. He is “alive forevermore”. The victory is complete and eternal. Through His victory He also has full power over “death and … Hades”, which is demonstrated in the possession of “the keys”. The Lord Jesus can dispose of death and Hades as He sees fit (Heb 2:14; Rev 20:14).

He had not been left in the grave and His body was not allowed to undergo decay (Acts 2:27-28). The glory of the Father has raised Him out of it (Rom 6:4) because the Father was glorified by Christ and His work and in that way all God’s holy demands were fulfilled. On this basis, death and Hades also no longer have authority over anyone who believes (Mt 16:18).

Rev 1:19. After the encouraging words of the Lord, John receives the order to write some things. It is an order in three parts. In these three parts you also have the basic division of the book. He had to write “the things which you has seen” and “the things which are” and “the things which will take place after these things”.

1. “The things which you have seen” you already read in the previous verses: the Lord Jesus as a Judge in the middle of the seven lampstands.

2. “The things which are” refer to chapters 2 and 3. There the situation is described of the seven churches in Asia Minor mentioned in Rev 1:11. That was the present time for John. In the broader sense it is the entire time period of the church on earth, which began at Pentecost in Acts 2 and will end at the rapture of the believers.

3. “The things which will take place after these things” start with chapter 4 (Rev 4:1) and ends with the last verse of the book. This third part totally lies in the future. Those are things that take place after the things that we still experience in the present dispensation.

Rev 1:20. Before the Lord Jesus addresses the seven churches He first gives an explanation of “the seven stars” and of “the seven golden lampstands”. This is necessary, for it about a “mystery”. A ‘mystery’ is something that is a secret and is hidden until it is revealed. The mystery is now revealed by the Lord Jesus.

The stars are in His right hand here, as they are in Rev 1:16. He supports them with His power and shows them as it were in their public relationship with Him. Stars shine in the night. They are a symbol for the angels of the seven churches. The word ‘angel’ literally means ‘messenger’ or ‘representative’. It can also be used in a broader sense for people. The angels are not cherubs or other spiritual creatures here, but people who are representatives of the churches.

Just like stars lampstands are also meant to spread light in the darkness. The lampstands are a symbol of the whole of each local church, while stars are more a symbol of the individual, out of which the churches exist. You also see that both the individual and the whole are held responsible for spreading the light. In the next two chapters you will see how the Lord Jesus judges the way this responsibility is met.

Now read Revelation 1:13-20 again.

Reflection: What impression does the description of the Lord Jesus make on you?