2BC BIBLE STUDY NOTES
Wednesday in the Word
Second Baptist Church
March 5, 2014
Revelations1:6-16
Verses 6. In our study last week, we learned who the original audience for this message was, who the real author was, and who the carrier of this message was. John was the carrier of this message, but this book doesn’t say much about him. In chapter one the audience of this message is the seven churches, but they are not mentioned in great detailed until later chapters. The attention in chapter one is focused on the author of this wonderful revelation, the Lord. During last week’s study we focused on the eternal nature of God, the multiplicity of his Spirit, and the atoning work of the Son. We start today with the reference in verse 6 concerning the work of Christ. One of the awesome things that came as part of our salvation was our new status. We as believers in Christ went from being outside of the family of God to being inside the family of God. We went from enemies of God to friends of God. We were servants of the enemy, but now we are servants of God. We have been elevated to the position of priests of God. When God saved us he positioned us for service. In 1 Peter 2:9 the same idea is expressed by saying of Christians that they are “a royal priesthood.” The quotation in both places is from Exodus l9:6; “And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests.” This idea is expressed here by saying that Christ had made us in fact kings and priests. The word “kings,” refers to the idea of reign with Christ. The word “priests” refers to the fact that they are engaged in the holy service of God, or that they offer to him acceptable worship (Ephesians 2:10-16, II Corinthians 5:18-19, and I Peter 2:4-5 and 9). John highlights that the one who choose us to be his servants is sending us this revelation. John wants us to be clear that the words we shall receive are words that come from the God who positioned us in heavenly places (Eph 1:3-9). God is not sending us a message because he hates us, but He is sending us a message out of love. Whether he is correcting us or complimenting us, it is all done from a point of love. God has called us to be priest and he expects us to represent and serve him well. We must do this in good times as well as the tough times.
Verse 7-8. John shares the end at the beginning. The Lord will return in majestic fashion to the shame of all those who doubted him. Because he will return in glory those who doubted his divinity will have to bow in reverence because there will be no denying his glory. Every knee will bow and tongue will confess that He is Lord. Verse 8 just reiterates what was said earlier concerning the eternal nature of God.
Verse 9. John shares where he received this revelation. He was on the island of Patmos for being a servant and preacher of Christ. Patmos was a lonely, desolate, barren, uninhabited, seldom visited place that had all the traits which could be desired for a place of punishment; and banishment to that place would accomplish all that a persecutor could wish in silencing an apostle, without putting him to death. It was no uncommon thing, in ancient times, to banish people from their country. Patmos is one of the clusters of islands in the Aegean Sea anciently called the “Sporades.” It is now called Patino or Patmoso. It is some six or eight miles in length, and not more than a mile in width, being about fifteen miles in circumference. It has neither trees nor rivers, nor has it any land for cultivation, except some little nooks among the ledges of rocks.
Verse 10. John shares that even though he was on Patmos physically, he saw this vision in the spirit. He shares that the on the first day of the week, called the Lord’s Day, he was caught up in the Spirit to receive this wonderful revelation. Despite John’s banishment, he was closer to God than ever. His first encounter is with the sound of the voice of our risen Savior. John describes that voice as a trumpet. Surely he was not saying that the voice sounded like a trumpet, but that his voice had the power and the force of a trumpet. Trumpets are baling instruments that cannot really be played quietly, but are meant to convey dominance and authority. A trumpet specializes in magnifying the sound of the one playing the instrument. John wants you to see how powerful this voice sounded to him so he describes it as a trumpet.
Verse 11. John gets his assignment. His mission is to write what he sees and send it to the seven churches.
Verse 12-16. John hears the voice from behind so he turns to see who is speaking and he get a vision of the glorified Christ. John says he sees seven lampstands. We know from later verses that the lamp stands represent the churches. The churches are not the light, but they are designed to hold up the light (Matthew 5:13-15). This is important because a lamp stand is only good when it has a light on it. John sees the risen savior as one who walks among the lamp stands. Jesus is the one who maintains the lamps. John sees Christ dressed in a robe that reaches to his feet. A robe reaching down to the feet, or to the ankles, yet so as to leave the feet themselves visible. The allusion here, doubtless, is to a long, loose, flowing robe; such as was worn by kings (see Isaiah 6:1). The golden sash represents royalty. This was something that only kings and princes wore. His hair was white as wool. The color is the key word. The white color represents age and probably more radiant that actually white. See Daniel 7:9. The Lord is shown as an ancient one. His eyes are described as a blazing fire. Bright, sharp, penetrating; as if everything was lit before them, or they would penetrate into the thoughts of people. Such a representation is not uncommon. This has the idea of being able to see through something not just at something. See Daniel 10:6. John describes his feet as glowing bronze. The word properly means “white brass.” The kind of metal here referred to what seem to be some compound of brass with some other element like gold that produced a metal of a whitish and brilliant color. His feet were glowing with great brilliance. The best way to describe this would be to look at the reflection of the sun off of some sort of mirror like object. The brightness is the point here. His hair is bright, his eyes are bright and his feet are bright. Everything about him is brilliant in color and bright in contrast. John describes his voice this time as that of rushing waters. Rushing waters usually drown our all other sounds. Like bright light drowns out all darkness, great sound drowns out all other sounds. When he speaks he is the only thing that can be heard. The next thing John describes is the hands of Christ. In his right hand are seven stars. He is holding that which lights the churches. Stars light up the dark sky, and Jesus holds the things which allow the churches to light up the dark world. These are the stars that go on the lamp stands. Out of his mouth John shares that his tongue looks like a double-edged sword. The two edges were designed to cut both ways; and such a sword is a striking symbol of the penetrating power of truth, or of words had the power of cutting deep, or penetrating the soul. And finally his face was like the sun. Basically so bright nothing distinctive could be seen, just brightness.
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