[00:00:00] Speaker A: I now can sing Since I've been redeemed I'm on the everlasting everlasting rock I faith in Christ my redeemer king I'm on the everlasting everlasting rock Then roll, roll Pillows row Let the heaven light shine on me Let the heaven light shine on me for lo is the way to the ever bright world Let the heaven light shine on me O brother you must bow so low O brother you must bow so low for low is the way to the upper bright world Let the heaven light shine on me Let the heaven light shine on me Let the heavenlight shine on me for lo is the way to the ever bright world Let the heavenlight shine on me O deacon you must bow so low O deacon you must bow so low for low is the way to the upper bright world Let the heaven light shine on me O preacher you must bow so low Preacher you must bow so low for low is the way to the ever bright wirai woo Let the heaven light shine on me Let the heaven light shine on me Let the heaven light shine on me for glory is the way to the upper bright world Let the heaven light shine on me Let the heavenly shine light shine on me Let the heavenly shine unshine on me for blow is the way to the upper bright world Let the sunlight shine on me Let the heaven light shine on me.
[00:02:48] Speaker B: Hello friend, and welcome to the Voice of Hope, a Bible study program that seeks to point us to the shepherd of our souls, Jesus Christ.
I'm Anthony High, your host for this episode in our series from the New Testament book of Revelation.
And here's our Bible teacher, J. Mark Horst to lead us in this study of John's vision of the glorified Christ.
[00:03:15] Speaker C: When all else fails, read the instructions.
I can see some of you women looking at your husbands.
You know, this well known saying reveals a tendency in our human nature to assume that we know how to do something when we without the need of being instructed. And it's intriguing that male or female, young or old, there's something in us, something in our human nature that seeks independence and self sufficiency. We don't like to be told what to do. And that usually leads to problems or serious failures.
I have to confess I'm guilty of this. I've had to go back and partially disassemble a project I was working on because I either didn't read the directions at all or. Or I didn't read them carefully enough.
What did it cost me? Maybe some frustration and a little Loss of ego and time, not too serious.
But what if I haphazardly read the most critical instruction manual of all time, that is the Bible?
What are the consequences of making that error?
In case you're joining me for the first time, a few weeks ago here on the Voice of Hope, we embarked on a study of the Book of Revelation.
And I highlighted the critical fact that this book is not meant to conceal things, but rather to unveil or expose them. That's what revelation means.
And if we read this book as we do the other scriptures literally, we can more easily uncover its meaning.
If we try to over spiritualize or allegorize the text, then that will lead us to some bizarre conclusions and interpretations.
I understand chapter one, verse 19 to give us the outline for the entire letter. Because Jesus instructed John to do write the things which you have seen, the things which are, and the things which will take place after this.
So the things you have seen are described in chapter one, and the things which are the letters to the seven churches, and we'll cover those in chapters two and three.
And then the things that will take place after this, that's the future. They're described in chapters 4 through 22.
And so this outline will be our guide as we investigate this incredible letter that was revealed to John.
The text for our consideration today is Revelation, chapter one and verses nine to 20. And I've titled our study the Glorified Christ.
This emphasis on the glory of Christ is the theme of the Letter of Revelation, and it culminates in his second coming to earth. That's recorded in chapter 19.
And so together let's listen and learn and worship.
Here is the word of God from Revelation, chapter one and verses nine through 20.
I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island 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 I heard behind me a loud voice as of a trumpet, saying, I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last.
And what you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia, to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.
Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned, I saw seven golden lampstands. And in the midst of the seven lampstands, one like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band.
His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow. And his eyes like a flame of fire.
His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace. And his voice as the sound of many waters.
He had in his right hand seven stars. Out of his mouth went a sharp two edged sword. And his countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.
And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying to me, do not be afraid.
I am the first and the last. I am he who lives and was dead. And behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of death.
Write the things which you have seen and the things which are and the things which will take place after this.
The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in my right hand and the seven golden lampstands. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches. And the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.
This text provides the theme of the Book of Revelation, the glorified Christ.
And I want us to observe together the several manifestations of that glory. And then we can bow before Christ in worship.
The first manifestation I see of the glorified Christ is his announcement.
Now, before we look specifically at what that announcement was, we need to look at the setting. Where, when and how is the announcement given? And why is it given?
John introduces himself as the one receiving the revelation and he explains the situation that he finds himself in.
He was exiled on the island of Patmos, that's a volcanic Greek island in the Aegean Sea off the coast of Turkey. And he writes that he was there on account of his preaching the word of God and testifying of his savior Jesus.
John was an elder in the church at Ephesus before his exile.
We also need to remember that Roman emperors claimed divinity and they demanded that every citizen proclaim, caesar is Lord.
Now, of course, the followers of Jesus couldn't do that and they wouldn't make that confession as a prominent leader of the early church. Then John became a target of persecution by the Roman government under the Emperor Domitian.
Now, I want you to notice that John is not a disconnected onlooker. He says, I am your brother and companion. I am one of you. I am experiencing the same things you are.
The order of the following three words is interesting. Maybe you picked it up when I read the Tribulation and Kingdom. Those are two opposing ideas that are joined together with a true insight into their relation, and then patience is added as the element through which the tribulation is translated into sovereignty. Or we could say into the kingdom in this setting, that is on the island of Patmos. John came to be in the Spirit on the Lord's day.
This phrase in the Spirit denotes a state of trance or a spiritual ecstasy, we might say.
Like Daniel and Ezekiel and Jeremiah and others, John received revelation from God through visions and dreams.
So what do we make of the when question?
John said, I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day. Well, there are three possibilities as we interpret this. First of all, the Sabbath, although Jewish literature never describes the Sabbath in this way.
Or it could be Sunday, the first day of the week, but that interpretation has similar difficulties.
Or it could be the day of the Lord as it's used in Joel 1:15 Obadiah 1:15 Zechariah 14:1 and other places.
And interestingly, Lord's is an adjective describing the day.
The only other place this construction is used is in 1 Corinthians 11:20, where it's used in reference to the Lord's Supper.
Since the first two interpretations add nothing to the meaning of what follows, it seems logical that in his visions John was transported into the future day of the Lord.
And so while he was writing in a specific historical time, in a specific geographic place, he was caught up and surrounded by the future day of the Lord.
In this ecstatic condition, John heard behind him the unexpected, overpowering entrance of the divine voice.
He recorded it sounding like a trumpet, a war trumpet, and it focused his attention on the forthcoming announcement.
Remember the emphasis on hearing and seeing throughout this letter.
And this is what the voice I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last.
And what you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches, which are in Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.
The unique identity of this voice assures John and us of who this is and of his complete grasp of the scope of history from the beginning to the end.
Now, not only does the voice announce who, but it also gives the what John is commissioned to write about what he sees on a scroll.
And I would remind you that this commission covers the whole series of visions that grow out of this first vision of the glorified Christ.
What John wrote was intended for the seven churches, and while there are only seven specifically named, the letter was meant to be read and maybe even copied in every church.
And when you think of those churches, don't picture stained glass windows, steeples, or even a dedicated building.
These were local assemblies that most likely met in private homes or rented spaces.
Remember, this is a time of great persecution, and so this is the announcement. It's the prelude to what is yet to come.
Naturally, as John hears the voice, he wants to see its source. We're the same way.
And that desire leads us to the next manifestation of the glorified Christ.
It is his appearance.
This manifestation of the glorified Christ in verses 12 to 16 gives us a picture of royal authority and magnificence that is beyond anything we have ever seen on earth or can even imagine.
However, before we delve into this, I need to say something about the imagery of this letter.
It's important for us to note that the imagery in Revelation is Hebrew and not Greek, because in Greek culture, the aesthetic element is dominant. It has to satisfy the senses of beauty and form and proportion. Take, for example, Greek sculpture.
However, in Hebrew, the first necessity is that the symbol fully and truly sets forth the religious idea intended.
That means appearance and tastefulness are secondary.
In addition, these symbols are designed to reveal truth, not hide it.
Now, we know that not all of the symbols are explained, but the great majority of them can be understood in one way or another from the Scripture itself.
For example, gold is a common theme in Revelation. It's a symbol of great value, a symbol of incorruptibility and strength.
It was, and still is today, the metal of the gods and of royalty.
So what did John see?
He saw seven golden lampstands.
According to verse 20, each of the golden lampstands represents one of the seven churches. And I want you to take note, these are not identical to the seven branched menorah of the tabernacle.
Instead, they're individual lampstands that seem to be arranged in a circle or a semicircle, because a figure like the Son of Man is standing among these golden lampstands, which we learn are his churches.
This is none other than the risen glorified Christ.
The Son of Man was the title that Jesus used most often for himself, and it speaks of his humanity and his messianic character.
He is dressed in a garment that covers him from head to toe.
The long robe is a garment of dignity and honor. It may be either royal or priestly, or both.
His garments are reminiscent of the garments of the high priest, the ones that he wore on the day of atonement.
I believe these descriptions are intentional to show us that Jesus was fully prepared and fully qualified to carry out his priestly office.
One unusual feature of this clothing was the sash that was worn across his chest, because typically the sash was worn around the waist.
We do learn, however, that the Levitical priests wore their sashes high across their chests and furthermore this sash that was worn by Christ was golden.
The sash is an Old Testament symbol of power and righteousness, of truth.
You can look at some scriptures, Job 12:18 and Isaiah 11:5, and then in the New Testament in Ephesians 6:14. The belt of the Christian's collective armor is truth, and that binds together the whole array of graces. Just like the sash binds together the upper and lower parts of the soldier's armor, the sash suits equally Christ's kingly and priestly offices.
He clearly possesses all the attributes of his Father God.
The descriptions then that are contained in verses 14 and 15 are reminiscent of Daniel chapter 7 and verse 9 and chapter 10, verse 6, and also Ezekiel chapter 43, verse 2.
We read. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes like a flame of fire.
His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace his and his voice as the sound of many waters.
Brass in the Scripture represents divine judgment typified by the brazen altar at the tabernacle.
His eyes, like a flame of fire, may symbolize his omniscience. He sees and knows everything.
In John's vision, the glorified Christ is holding seven stars in his right hand.
The right hand signifies complete and and unquestioned control of whatever those stars represent.
And we learn from verse 20, those stars represent the churches. They are under his control, and he will protect them with his power.
Further and out of his mouth went a sword, two edged and sharp.
I believe this is a metaphor for the power and authority of His Word. It has the power to slay his enemies.
Isaiah 11:4 uses a similar metaphor. It says, he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked.
The Hebrew writer concurs. With a slightly different emphasis he says, for the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and and intents of the heart.
The countenance or face of this supernatural figure was like the sun shining at noonday full strength.
This is a similar description of what Saul experienced on the road to Damascus when he encountered the risen Christ.
After announcing his presence and making his appearance, the divine messenger presents his authority and he deputizes John to write the things he is about to see and hear.
That leads us to the final manifestation.
The final manifestation of the glorified Christ is his authorization.
Remember with me that during Jesus earthly ministry, John was the beloved disciple of the Lord, the one who rested on his bosom at the Last Supper.
And yet, like every other mortal exposed to a heavenly being, he falls as a dead man at the feet of this glorious figure.
The Shekinah glory of the Lord completely overcame him, plus the overpowering influence of the vision.
And so, in a response of compassion, Jesus lays his hand on John and he says, do not fear. I am the first and the last that describes his eternality. I am the living one who was dead. That's the past. And behold, I am am the present, living forevermore. That's the future.
Amen. I have the keys. That's the authority of the grave and of death.
And according to Jesus teaching In Luke 16, everyone who dies goes to Hades or Sheol. That is the place of departed spirits. Gehenna, or hell, is reserved for the wicked. And so by his death and resurrection, Jesus stripped Satan of any authority he may previously have had.
Hebrews 2, 14, 15 reminds us of Inasmuch then, as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared in the same, that through death he might destroy him who had the power of death, that is the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
Because this authority is invested in Jesus. He tells John, write the things which you have seen, the things which are, and the things which will take place after this.
Again, this outline for the letter is the only one that allows the book to speak for itself without manipulation. And it leads us to a consistent futurist interpretation.
In the final verse of the text, the explanation of verses 12 through 16 is given.
The seven stars in the right hand of Jesus emphasize his preeminence and his authority.
These stars represent the angels of the seven churches.
Some people believe these angels are bishops of the churches. But I would remind you that at this time in history, the churches hadn't yet reached that level of ecclesiastical structure.
As I said earlier, they were primarily house churches, especially considering the persecution.
And furthermore, not once in 102 occurrences in the Old Testament and seven in the New Testament where a human being is in view, did the translators render the original word Angelos as the word angel.
The translators of the KJV and Revised Version render Angelos in Revelation as angel.
If these scholars had thought that Angelos referred to a human being. They would have rendered it messenger here, as they did elsewhere. And so the angels mentioned here are celestial beings, not human officials.
And then finally, the seven golden lampstands represent the churches and Christ is walking among them.
These lampstands represent the Church's principal function. What is that? It's to give light.
Gold represents the deity and glory of Christ and the implied olive oil represents the Holy Spirit.
So we can say without a doubt that the complete triune God is present in these opening scenes of the Book of Revelation.
Because many of us live in relative peace, we're free from the daily threat of physical danger and punishment for our faith in Christ.
It might be difficult for us to imagine how encouraging these words were to those who were suffering for Jesus sake.
This picture of the true King of Israel was meant to bring comfort and hope to these suffering ones. And remember John was one of them. He said, I am your brother and companion.
It reminded John's readers that kings and emperors will come and go, but our King was and is and is to come.
He is the true and faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead. He is eternal and he is almighty. He has not forgotten us. He holds us in his right hand with strength and authority. We are secure in him and we have nothing to fear.
Oh, how you and I need a renewed glimpse of the glorified Christ. If we could only grasp his glory, majesty, love and compassion in just a small measure, I believe our lives would be transformed.
If you have never surrendered your life to Christ, a glimpse of his glory should leave you trembling in terror.
His eyes like flames of fire. See everything.
You can hide nothing.
Either you allow the sharp two edged sword of His Word wielded by the Holy Spirit to enter your heart and transform you today, or you will be condemned by that same word at the judgment.
The choice is yours. But don't delay because you have no promise of tomorrow.
For those who have already received Christ as Savior and Lord, such a glimpse of the glorified Christ should sweep away our spirit of ungratefulness and complaining.
The shiny attractions that the world places before us should lose their luster because they're so cheap and so temporary.
We would agree with the Apostle Paul that our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working in us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. While we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. Because the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
Take time Today to bow before the glorified Christ in humble, genuine worship.
[00:25:26] Speaker B: Thank you jmarc for challenging us to humble ourselves and bow before the risen Christ.
I hope this series is a blessing to you. Send us your comments, concerns and prayer requests to hope heraldsofhope.org or you can call us at 866960 and our mailing address is the Voice of Hope, 6183 Lincoln Highway, Harrisonville, PA 17228. And don't forget, you're welcome to listen to past episodes or explore more Bible based content on our
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Your prayers and support make this ministry possible and we're thankful for each one who walks with us as we share the good News of Jesus around the world.
Keep tuning in for more Bible teaching and encouragement right here on the Voice of Hope.
[00:26:38] Speaker D: Behold, what manner of man is this who stands between God and man.
His eyes are as a flame of fire in his hand.
John saw him in the seven churches as the sun in brilliancy.
Behold, what manner of man is this? What manner of man is he?
He's the Lord of Glory, he is the Great I am he's the Alpine Omega, the beginning and the end.
His name is Wonderful, the Prince of p Sea, the everlasting Father throughout eternity.
Behold, what manner of man is this? To spake to the woman at the well?
Everlasting life I'll give to thee far richer than and whosoe shall drink from this well shall live on eternally.
Behold, what manner of man is this? What manner of man is he?
He's the Lord of Glory, he is the Great I am he's the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.
His name is Wonderful, the Prince of Peace is He the everlasting Father throughout eternity.
Behold, what manner of man is this who sits upon his heavenly throne?
He rules and reigns from heaven above his beloved and his own. He's a liar. The lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David is he Behold, what manner of man is this? What manner of man is he is the Lord of Glory he is the Great I am he's the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end his name is Wonderful of this is Me, the everlasting Father throughout eternity.
