*Revelation 1:1-20
The Revelation of Jesus Christ is introduced, containing messages of encouragement and warnings for seven churches in Asia Minor.
- Introduction to Revelation:
- The book begins by establishing its purpose: to reveal events that must soon take place, communicated from God to Jesus Christ, who then sends an angel to deliver this message to His servant John.
- John is tasked with bearing witness to the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ, including all that he sees.
- Blessings and Greetings:
- Early verses emphasize the blessedness of reading, hearing, and keeping the words of this prophecy due to the imminent nature of its contents.
- John sends greetings to the seven churches in Asia, invoking grace and peace from the triune God—God the Father, the seven spirits before His throne, and Jesus Christ.
- High Christology:
- Jesus is exalted with titles such as “the faithful witness,” “the firstborn from the dead,” and “the ruler of the kings of the earth.”
- John praises Jesus for loving us and freeing us from our sins through His blood.
- Vision of the Son of Man:
- While on the island of Patmos for preaching God’s word, John experiences a powerful vision on the Lord’s Day.
- He hears a loud voice like a trumpet commanding him to write to the seven churches of Asia.
- Turning to see the voice, John observes seven golden lampstands and among them, a figure like the Son of Man, described with majestic and divine attributes: robed, with white hair, eyes like blazing fire, feet like bronze, and a voice like rushing waters.
- The figure holds seven stars, has a sharp double-edged sword coming from His mouth, and His face shines like the sun.
- The Figure’s Self-Identification and Commission to John:
- The figure touches John and identifies Himself as the First and the Last, who died and is now alive forever, holding the keys of death and Hades.
- He instructs John to write about his vision and the things that are to come.
- The vision’s symbols are explained: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches themselves.
Note: The messages to the seven churches in Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea are told in chapters 2 and 3.