Rev 1:14 | KingComments | STEP | . 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. ). 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 ( ) and the Creator Who ”does not become weary or tired” ( ) 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 ( ; cf. ). 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. ). 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. . 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” ( ). 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. . 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 ( ), 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” ( ; ). 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. . He also has “in His right hand … seven stars”. What the seven stars mean is explained in . 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” ( ; ), is a picture of the Word of God ( ; ). 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 ( ). 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” ( ; ; ). The sun places everything in the light, nothing remains hidden. His countenance is the same countenance at which people have been spitting ( ). . 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 ( ). 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. . 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 ( ). 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 ( ; ). He had not been left in the grave and His body was not allowed to undergo decay ( ). The glory of the Father has raised Him out of it ( ) 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 ( ). . 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 . 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 ( ) 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. . 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 . 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?

‏ Revelation of John 1:14

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?