Good morning! And what a beautiful day is it beginning to be! Sun and warm breeze...definitely an outside day!!
Today we begin our last book...Revelation! This will be a challenge as there are lots of symbols and metaphors. It is an interesting book with some really cool visions! This book is filled with angels, wild creatures, colors, music, almost anything your mind can imagine! Many theologians say to interpret Revelation is to misinterpret it. Revelation is a book that is best to be experienced rather than explained! Keep that in mind as I/we comment! Revelation looses some of its "power" when we attempt to explain it!
The author identifies himself as a Christian named "John" who was on the island of Patmos. Likely this person was in prison (Patmos was known for its many prisons) for teaching/preaching about Jesus. It is often credited to John the apostle, but there is much controversy about that! The author seems to be rich in Hebrew history and is familiar with the imagery connected to Jesus and the "new" testament. Approximately 70% of the verses in the book reference Hebrew scriptures! The original text was written in Greek but with the style of someone fluent in Aramaic or Hebrew. The author was likely a Jewish Christian who immigrated to Asia Minor (likely from Palestine) during or just after the Jewish war with Rome. Common thought is that the book was written late in the reign of Domitian (81-96AD).
Revelation is the only book of the New Testament that John Calvin did not write a commentary on and Martin Luther is reported to have said, "My spirit cannot accommodate itself to this book." Many poets, artists, and musicians have used the imagery of Revelation for their works. It is a fantastic book filled with questions! Let's see how we do!!
The information in the book was delivered to John from an angel and it is information from Jesus as to what will be happening soon (although we are still "waiting" 2000 years later). God gave this information to John so that he/we would know what is to come (vv 1-2_+),
And we are "blessed" that we are reading this and hearing the words that are written for us (v 3)! Fortunately, John didn't say we need to understand everything to be blessed- we just need to read and hear the words! Many people avoid Revelation and so miss that blessing!
The letter is addressed to the seven churches in Asia (Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardia, Philadelphia, and Laodicea); this area is current western Turkey.
John brings greetings from an eternal (is, was and is to come) God, the Holy Spirit (seven Spirits) and from Jesus Christ. The number seven (Spirits) comes from Isaiah 11:2 and describes seven aspects of the Holy Spirit; seven is considered a perfect number and is used often to denote perfection. Re: Jesus- firstborn of the dead- i.e. He was the first to be resurrected. John then continues praise for Jesus and what Jesus has done for us- loves us and freed us. Some translations say "loved" rather than "loves" with commentaries saying that the past-tense points to the cross. John ends this brief section with "Amen" which literally means Yes! An affirmation of what Jesus has done for us.
John moves from praising Jesus to describing Jesus' return. Look!! He is coming!! Clouds are often associated with the presence of God, so Jesus is coming in the presence of God! It will not be a secret- everyone will see it! Jesus' return will not be hidden with only Christians knowing- all people will see the vision. "Even those who pierced Him" is a direct reference to the Jewish nation (even though hey didn't "pierce" him, they are "credited" with Jesus' crucifixion). The Jews will be reminded of their rejection of Jesus and will then turn and accept Jesus.
Jesus then "introduces" Himself with Alpha (beginning, first letter of the Greek alphabet) and Omega (end, last letter of the Greek alphabet); Jesus is everything.
John reports that he is in exile on Patmos (v 9), likely because of his preaching and teaching of Jesus ("because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus"). Patmos is described as a desolate, lonely, barren, uninhabited (except for the prison) island. John was on the island and a loud voice (trumpet) tells him to start writing what he sees! John turns and doesn't see Jesus, but seven lampstands. The lampstands hold the lamp, so allow the light of the lamp to spread out. Lampstands are symbolic of the church- we hold up the light (of Christ) to spread that light to our world. Seven lampstands- seven churches.
John looks more closely and see Jesus clothed in robes and gold- symbols of dignity and glory. The whiteness of Jesus' hair symbolizes old age (i.e. wisdom and timeless). Fire (symbolic of judgement) in Jesus' eyes. Feet of brass (burnished bronze) symbolic of someone who has been through the refiner's fire; brass is also connected to the altar for sacrifices and is a very strong metal- so symbolic of stability and everlasting strength. The seven stars are the leaders of the seven churches; the seven churches represented all the churches- so Jesus holds all churches in his hand (remember- seven is perfect/ complete). The sword form His mouth referenced the power of Jesus' words; the Word of Christ is sharp! Jesus' face glowed and shone brightly as in the transfiguration. Everything in this vision speaks of power and majesty and glory and authority. Compare to the weakened, beaten, bloody, "powerless" Jesus at the crucifixion!
John was overwhelmed at the vision and fell to his knees. Even with three years of ministry, John (if we assume this was written by John the apostle) wasn't prepared to see Jesus this majestic! Jesus reaches out with his right hand (symbol of love and grace and peace) and comforts John. Jesus- still has compassion for people. Jesus comforts with similar words that we heard earlier- Jesus is eternal and truly resurrected. Some people think that the devil holds the keys to Hell, but in this passage- Jesus is the one who has those keys!
Jesus commands John again- write this down!! Jesus interprets the seven lampstands and the seven stars. Jesus interprets that stars as angels that look down and protect each church' some commentaries (like I said earlier) say the reference is to the angels being the pastors/ leaders of the church protecting the church.
What a powerful introduction to the book! Imagine how John is feeling now!!
I may be late (or not posting) tomorrow. I am "processing" some chickens (about 30) for a few friends and I like to do that as early as possible. It should take be 4 or 5 hours to do them, so if I post tomorrow it will be early to mid afternoon.
Have a great day and enjoy Revelation! Read this introductory chapter a few times!
Shalom+
Pastor Paul
John addresses this letter to the seven churches i Asia Minor. He sends peace to them from Jesus Christ who was is and always will be. I especially like his statement about being the first to rise from the dead as Jesus rose from dead and did not die again as others that had been preciously such as Lazarus was. He speaks of Lord God being the Alpha and Omega and gives glory to God. He tells of where he is (Patmos).
ReplyDeleteJohn has a "vision" from and angel seven gold lampstands representing the seven churches and amid st them he see abeing like the son of man but this is not like he had seen the Son of Man previously and image of a being with a long rob with a gold sash across his chest perhaps like a high priest, the voice was thunderous and his eyes like fire and had a two edged sword from his mouth and held 7 stars in his right hand.. I can't imagine seeing an image such as this with out being so frightened that I would been quaking in my shoes and probably fainted dead away However the vision told john not to be afraid that he was the First and last and he told john to write down all that he saw. the vision told him that the seven lampstands were the 7 churches and the 7 stars were the angels of the churches. In reading the footnotes in my Bible it says the 7 angels could be the the earthly leaders of the church. Maybe this will be made more understandable in the next chapter? I think this Book will be a very hard book to interpret and really understand all that is being said It will be interesting nevertheless.
I agree with you- I can't imagine how I would have reacted- but frightening would be the term I would use!!
DeleteSome of the visions will be clarified later for us!
Thanks CLara
I agree Clara it is a little hard to understand but I did enjoy it. I think part of the reason is it is new and different from what we have been reading. I actually read it yesterday and again today. Revelation is not familiar to me but it could be I was not paying attention when it has been spoken about.
ReplyDeleteI heard a piece today on NPR... should President Biden be able to receive communion or not. It said that only a third of Catholics understand that the bread and wine served during communion is the body and blood of christ. It was kind of funny because it is repeated many times in the service every Sunday. I will pay attention as we study this last chapter!
This is a very different type of reading and writing! It will be a challenge, but like I said in the introduction- read to read, not necessarily to understand and solve all the symbols.
DeleteThanks Cindy
Wow! This book starts off with a Jesus who is unlike the Jesus we have gotten to know through the 4 gospels. A voice like a trumpet, white hair, eyes like blazing fire, feet like bronze glowing in a furnace, seven stars in His right hand, a double-edged sword protruding from His mouth, and His face shining like the sun. If I were to see something like this, with the 7 lampstands and Him dressed in a robe that extended to His feet, I would turn and run if I was able to stand at all. I cannot fathom he fear that would be in me.
ReplyDeleteHe claims He is the Alpha and the Omega – the Beginning and the End. I cannot dispute this. As I said before, this is a different Jesus than the one we knew in the gospels. He said not to be afraid (verse 17), but I would still be petrified! In verse 18, He says; “I am the living one; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.” He has truly defeated death in the resurrection.
Where does this go? It will be very interesting to see. This is my first time in Revelation and I can see that it will be an experience unlike anything else in the Bible.
Yes, a very different representation of Jesus!! I am not sure how I would have acted, but I imagine some fear would be in me if I saw this!
ReplyDeleteSome very powerful statements from Jesus in thus beginning paragraph!
It will definitely be an interesting read!
Thanks Jack!