Day 363: Vision of the Son of Man

*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.

Revelation 1:1-20 reminds us that Jesus is in control of all things and is coming again. We can apply this by living each day with faith and confidence, knowing that God has a plan for the future. No matter what challenges we face, we can trust in Jesus, who is always with us. This passage also encourages us to listen to God’s Word, stay faithful, and share His truth with others. Most importantly, it reminds us to keep our focus on Jesus, who is the beginning and the end, our source of hope and strength.

Note: The messages to the seven churches in Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea are told in chapters 2 and 3.

Revelation 1:1-20 (WEB)

1:1 This is the Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things which must happen soon, which he sent and made known by his angel to his servant, John, 2 who testified to God’s word and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, about everything that he saw.
3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and keep the things that are written in it, for the time is near.
4 John, to the seven assemblies that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from God, who is and who was and who is to come; and from the seven Spirits who are before his throne; 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us, and washed us from our sins by his blood— 6 and he made us to be a Kingdom, priests to his God and Father—to him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
7 Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, including those who pierced him. All the tribes of the earth will mourn over him. Even so, Amen.
8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
9 I John, your brother and partner with you in the oppression, Kingdom, and perseverance in Christ Jesus, was on the isle that is called Patmos because of God’s Word and the testimony of Jesus Christ. 10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, like a trumpet 11 saying, “What you see, write in a book and send to the seven assemblies: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.”
12 I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. Having turned, I saw seven golden lamp stands. 13 And among the lamp stands was one like a son of man, clothed with a robe reaching down to his feet, and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 His head and his hair were white as white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire. 15 His feet were like burnished brass, as if it had been refined in a furnace. His voice was like the voice of many waters. 16 He had seven stars in his right hand. Out of his mouth proceeded a sharp two-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining at its brightest. 17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet like a dead man.
He laid his right hand on me, saying, “Don’t be afraid. I am the first and the last, 18 and the Living one. I was dead, and behold, I am alive forever and ever. Amen. I have the keys of Death and of Hades. 19 Write therefore the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will happen hereafter. 20 The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lamp stands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven assemblies. The seven lamp stands are seven assemblies.