10 through 18, Revelation 1,
John writes, I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day and heard behind
me a great voice as of a trumpet saying, I am Alpha and Omega,
the first and the last. And what thou seest, write in
a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia,
unto Ephesus, Shmyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia,
and Laodicea. And I turned to see the voice
that spake with me, and being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks. And in the midst of the seven
candlesticks, one like unto the Son of Man, clothed with a garment,
down to the foot, girt about the paps of the breast with a
golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white
like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes as a flame of fire,
and his feet like undefined brass, as if they had burned in a furnace. and his voice as the sound of
many waters. And he had in his right hand
seven stars, and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword,
and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. When I saw him, I fell at his
feet as dead, and the lady's right hand upon me sang unto
me, Fear not, I am the first and the last. I'm he that liveth
and was dead, And behold, I'm alive forevermore. Amen. And have the keys of hell and
of death. Verse 18 again. Behold, I'm alive
evermore. Have the keys of hell and of
death. The book of Revelation has many
different interpretations. A lot of times, depending on
one's view, future event, but the book concerns as we learn
chapter 1 and verse 1 the revelation of Jesus Christ. This is a message
of the book and unveiling the revelation of the Lord and Savior
Jesus Christ. And right away we notice that
The word revelation is interesting because the original word for
revelation, so says Herman Hoeksema and other expositors as well,
is that same word from where we get our word apocalypse. Sometimes you hear the book of
Revelation referred to as the apocalypse, and that means the
unveiling or the uncovering as if to say the unveiling or the
revelation or the making known of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ. We learn in secular history and
language that the word can refer to the unveiling of a statue. Sometimes a statue is made and
then it is unveiled and is revealed. Now, what was not seen, therefore,
is brought out in plain sight. So the revelation of Jesus Christ. So the revelation then concerned
the revelation of our blessed Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. That might raise a question in
our mind. Why is there the need of a revelation
of the Lord Jesus Christ? Did he not appear among men?
Was he not there revealed and revealed also the Father? Have we not the eyewitness testimony
of those that accompanied with him during his ministry upon
the earth? And do we not have the scripture
that testify to us of the Lord Jesus Christ, both the Old and
the New Testament scripture? Why, then, this revelation of
the Lord Jesus Christ? Thus we should carefully note
something here about the scripture, such as the question whether
Jesus is the revelator or whether he is the object of the revelation,
whether he's doing the revealing or whether he is the one that
is being revealed. But be that as it may, I think
that one thing is beyond dispute, and that is that this part, this
is a post-ascension revelation of our Lord. I was alive, I'm
dead, I'm alive evermore, and I have the keys of hell and of
death. And so after being risen and
ascended, having entered into heaven by his own blood, to sit
down on the right hand of God, having been carried up in that
cloud out of their sight, to be glorified even further in
heaven. Then what of the Lord after his
ascension? Carried from the earth, carried
out of sight into heaven, and as we learn, sit down on the
right hand of God. Now, of course, we, as Paul said,
see through a glass darkly. Somewhat of a veil is over our
eyes. so that we cannot see in the
heaven or the glory of heaven and the glory of our Lord that
is there except by the scripture. So the final book of scripture
as it was really draws aside the veil and gives us the revelation
of our blessed Savior. And let's note that the channel
of revelation, the revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave
him, that he might show unto his servant. It was sent and
it was signified, having sent or communicated by an angel,
unto John, his messenger and bond slave, so that it is trustworthy
communication. We may receive it as factual
and as true. It is a faithful saying, God
making a revelation of his son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful
saying, being indeed the revelation of Jesus Christ. Now, jumping
closer to our text, in verse 4, we notice, we begin to see
the glory of the author and the object of the revelation through
John, according to the will of God. Now, which is addressed
to, quote, the seven churches which are in Asia. And with this benediction attached
unto it, grace and peace unto you from the Lord Jesus Christ. And this benediction and those
like it are not mere words that the writer might ingratiate himself
in some way to the people of God or even under the churches,
but they are part of the inspired, infallible word and record of
God unto us. But note the next words, from
him, grace and peace unto you from him, him that ever liveth
and ever abideth at the right hand of God." Note the description
of the one in whose name the blessings are pronounced upon
the children of God. Actually, it is threefold, and
let's look at it that way. Number one, Him which is, which
was, and which is to come. A description of our Lord. This
one is beyond a doubt the Almighty God. And that once we are aware,
and as Moses was at the burning bush, I think it might be appropriate
if we put off our shoes for we stand here upon holy ground. Now, for what it is worth, what
is this but a decoration of what one called, quote, the pure,
absolute, unchangeable existence of Jehovah, Him which is, which
was, and which is to come, though it seems best to refer to God
the Father here in this place as the eternally existing One,
who is without beginning and therefore is absolutely Without
him, but also he that is the immutable one for what he is
He is he always has been and he always will be but then secondly
we notice something else From the seven spirits which are before
his throne now this be not a reference to the Holy Spirit of God Then
I know not what to tell you about that statement, but we know something
that the number seven is the scripture is used in a unique
way and it is used in hundreds if not dozens of different times
in the scripture Leviticus 4 and 6 the blood was to be sprinkled
seven times in that particular ceremony and not 6 and not 8,
but 7 times. Leviticus 12 and 2, a woman was
to be unclean 7 days. 2 Kings 5, 10 and 14, Naaman
was commanded to dip 7 times that river that his leprosy might
be taken away. Joshua, seven priests bearing
seven trumpets we read about. Exodus 12 and 7, seven days to
eat unleavened bread. 1st Kings 19, 18, 7,000 are reserved unto me who have
not bowed the knee unto Baal. And the number seven is dozens
of times in the book of Revelation over and over. Here are some
examples. Seven spirits 7 churches, 7 gold
candlesticks, 7 stars, 7 lamps, 7 horns and 7 eyes, 7 thunders,
7 horns, 7 angels, 7 golden vials, 7 mountains, 7 vials. Over and
over we read of that number 7 in the book of Revelation. Some
are of the opinion that the number 7 signifies fullness or completeness
in the scripture, such as John Gill, who thought that the seven
spirits intend the Spirit of God in His fullness and intention. But then thirdly, we notice another
description, and from Jesus Christ, whom the apostle John eulogizes
as the faithful witness, the true reliable witness, never
a more faithful witness than our Lord. The first begotten
from God is how John describes him. the first begotten from
the dead, a prince, a ruler of the kings of all of the earth,
so that this indeed is a glorious one who is in our sight today. He is also the one that loved
us and washed us from our sin in his own blood, chapter 1 of
Revelation, and has made us kings and priests unto God, 1 Peter
chapter 2 and verse 5. Then the doxology and the praise. If we look at verse 6 and the
last part, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Now compare 1 Timothy 1
and verse 17. Now under the king, eternal,
immortal, invisible the only wise God, the honor and glory
forever and forever. Coming now to our text and one
of the Patmos visions that John was given. As John explains in
verse 9, I, John, was on the Isle of Patmos for the word of
God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. What does John mean by
that statement? Number one, was he there to preach
the word of God? Was he there to preach and declare
and give a testimony of the Lord Christ? Or number two, was he
providentially there to receive these things and that he might
write them down that we might have this record? Or number three,
was he, as some think, banished because of his preaching of the
Word of God, persecuted there for the preaching of the Word
of God and giving testimony of our Lord. Now, for whatever reason,
he tells us some facts here, and let's recount them. A, he
was on Patmos, which has been described as a small, lonely,
desolate-type island. Some say it was rocky and bare,
not far from the Asia Minor coast. he was there. Then, B, it occurred
on what he calls the Lord's Day, which one of my Greek-English
interleaner renders as the Imperial Day, such as Seven-Day Adventist
and some futurists understand it, the Day of the Lord, that
day that he speaks about, not a particular day of the week,
but a time the day of the Lord, transported, as it were, into
the future. However, it seems best to understand
it either of the Lord's day or of that day or time. Then finally
we notice John says, I was in the Spirit. That means more than
simply he had the Spirit of God abiding in him, for this is common
to all of the children of God. All of the children of God have
the blessed Holy Spirit. Nor is it to be restricted to
some sort of deep meditation. Nor was it the equivalent of
what some call that second blessing of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. But rather, John says, I was
caught up in the Spirit. Not that he left the ground,
not that he had an out-of-body experience, so that he was transported
into a frame of mind, however, to receive and perceive this
great spiritual truth and to write it down for our admonition. I was reading Huxema. Huxema
described it in these words, He was in a state of spiritual
ecstasy so that he was separated from the world in sense and experience
and prepared to receive visions of spiritual things, unquote,
which of course he certainly did. Compare Peter in Acts chapter
10, who received that great vision from the Lord. Paul describing
that one in 2 Corinthians chapter 12 and verses 1 through 3. caught up into the third heaven
and saw unlawful things. And while in their state, he
received a glorious vision and this revelation of Jesus Christ,
which he was commanded to put into writing. In this enlightened
state, John, he heard a great and a loud voice And it was like
unto him the blast of a trumpet, so great and loud was it. But it was a clear voice that
he understood, as a trumpet blast often called Israel to attention. Often when God would call them
to the congregation, it would be by a trumpet blast. And verse
11, the great and loud voice, as of a trumpet said in words
discernible unto John this, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and
the last. Alpha and Omega, the beginning
and the end. And as John Gill notes in his
commentary, these characters and phrases are omitted from
some versions of the Holy Scripture, though he thinks, quote, that
they are being fitly retained, unquote, and included in the
Scripture. These characters and these phrases
are here for our admonition. Beside, we had them back in verse
8 of this same chapter, and much the same again down in verse
17 of chapter 1. Now, the speaker is beyond question. That is, the revelation, the
revelator is the Christ of glory. I am Alpha and Omega. The characters have a capital
A here and a letter which resembles a horseshoe in a way, which some
say is the first and the last letter of the Greek alphabet. And we sometimes speak of from
A to Z. So this is the alpha and omega
first and beginning of the alphabet. John Gill said that the Jews
use the letter alpha for chief person and thing, and that the
two letters stand for the whole of everything in between. This is the exalted Lord's declaration. I am the beginning and the end,
the first and the last, the fullness and all in all in other words
the complete one not only so but such resembling words are
found in the writing of the Prophet Isaiah 41 for I am the Lord the
first and With the last I am he Isaiah
44 and verse 6 thus saith the Lord the king of Israel and his
Redeemer the Lord of hosts I am the first and I am the last and
Beside me there is no God again in Isaiah chapter 48 and verse
12 I am he I am the first I also am the last and So clearly, the
meaning is, God only is God, there is none else that is God,
He is only God, He is fully God, and He is eternally and everlastingly
God. Now these Old Testament verses
help us to understand better the claims of the exalted Christ
who spoke behind John with trumpet-like sounds on Patmos. And when John
heard the great voice, he turned to see, notice, the voice that
spoke, not the person, but he turned to see the voice that
spoke in verse 12. Now this note, from this point
on, the writer uses a grand array of symbols which might give occasion
to conjure up all manner of interpretation out of the brains of men on this
book. But in verse 13 through 17, it
is highly symbolical. There are golden candlesticks,
there are seven stars, and there is a two-edged sword, etc. But in the midst of the seven
golden candlesticks, John saw one like unto the Son of Man. And in verse 13, which can be
none other than the Lord. Jesus Christ. In verse 20, the
Lord himself explained what is symbolized in the star and in
the candlestick. That the seven candlesticks are
the seven churches and the seven stars are the angels or the messengers
of the seven churches that are named. But the focus is upon
the one in verse 12. In the midst of of the seven
golden candlesticks, whose appearance was like unto the Son of Man
as an appearance." Now this phrase appears again in Revelation 14
and verse 14, and the Lord used the term describing himself in
John 5 and verse 27 and in other places in the scripture. It must be the same one that
Daniel saw in Daniel chapter 7 and verse 13. I saw one like
unto the son of man. And I think someone's probably
right who said the Lord used that description of himself more
than any other while he were here on the earth in his ministry,
referring to himself again and again as the son of man. Daniel 7 and 14, there was given
unto him dominion and glory and a kingdom that all people, nations,
and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting
dominion which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that
shall not be destroyed." As to the appearance of the Son of
Man, which was the glorified Christ in heaven, As Morrow said
in his commentary on Revelation, quote, the description given
of Christ is holy in symbolic language and highly mystical,
unquote. How could we disagree with that?
However, it again corresponds to the way in which Daniel described
him in Daniel chapter 7 and verse 9, when he saw the ancient of
days sitting on a throne, and quote, whose garment was white
as snow. the hair of his head as pure
wool, his throng like a fiery flame, his wheels as burning
fire." Thus the description is sevenfold. Number one, his head
and hairs were White like wool, like as snow. Number two, his
eyes were as a flame of fire, as if to burn through one. Number
three, feet like brass, as if they had been put sometime in
a furnish. Number four, his voice like the
sound of many waters rippling. Number five, his right hand holding
seven stars as he was appearing. Number six, out of his mouth
came a sharp two-edged sword. Not out of a scalpered, but out
of his mouth. And number seven, and his countenance
like the fullness of the sun. And in verse 17, the magnificence
of the sight of the sun in such heavenly glory overpowered John. It overwhelmed him. It awed him. And he fell down as a man dead
at the feet of the ancient of days. Look what he said, I fell
as dead and that at his feet. Now time is short, but let's
expand upon this effect that it had upon the Apostle John. When in Judges chapter 13, God
made a magnificent manifestation of himself unto a man called
Manoah and his wife. He said, verse 22 of that chapter,
the man said, We shall surely die because we have seen God. Every Israelite knew that, thought
that, and feared it. We shall surely die because we
have seen God. When in Exodus, I'm sorry, Ezekiel
chapter 1 and verse 28, the prophet saw the appearance of the glory
of the Lord, quote, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice
of one that spake." When in Daniel 10 and verse 8, he saw a great
vision, he said, that remained no strength in me. It drained his strength. That's a magnificent of the sight
and the vision that the Lord had given unto him. I retained
no strength, he said, weak as a rag. Verse 9, my face toward
the ground. How this contradicts, I think,
all these modern pinheads who claim that They'll run all over
heaven and they'll shout hallelujah and shake the hand of John and
all that kind of thing they think of. When people saw the Lord,
it so overwhelmed them, they knew not what to do or to say. John's sight of Christ in his
glory caused him to fall down like one dead, even though he
was in the Spirit at that particular time. Whereupon the one like
the Son of Man laid a hand upon him and calmed his fears and
declared himself again. I am the first and the last. I'm he that lives. Once being
dead, I am alive forevermore. He declares himself once dead,
yet raised up from it. And that was the claim and it
was the experience of our Lord Jesus Christ. I'm the possessor
of life. Have life that will never end
for he ever lives Hebrews 7 and verse 25 death has no more dominion
over him Romans chapter 6 and verse 9 wherein that he died
He died under sin once but in that he lived he lives under
God death will never end grab him again. He has personally
conquered death. He died, he was buried, he lay
in a tomb, but death could not dissolve him. He has met the
great Goliath death and has overcome him to the blessing and help
of the church and the children of God. Now if we look at the
last part of verse 18 that we read, And I have the keys of
hell and of death. I think the word hell is the
word Hades, meaning the state of death or the grave, the unseen
world. And Christ puts in the two words
death and hell. The word translated hell here
is a word, the equivalent of the Old Testament word, I think,
sheol. It is 11 times in the New Testament,
in every place but one, it is translated hell, 1 Corinthians
chapter 15, 55. It is great. But it is the word
used in reference to Christ's death in Acts chapter 2, verse
27 and verse 31. Thou wilt not leave my soul in
hell. Same word. Now the word key the
scripture way of expressing that he has authority, power, and
access and control over these things. I have the key of death
and of hell. In Egypt, Joseph had the key
to the storehouse. He had access. He could open
it up. And Christ gives the keys of
the kingdom. Matthew 16 verse 19 and has the key to the bottomless
pit Revelation 9 and 1 he has the key of David Revelation 3
and verse 7 and is the one who opens and no man shuts and shuts
and no man opens Christ opens and shuts the grave. He has that power. Just as he
does the kingdom, he opens it to whom he will. He can unlock
the prison of death, and he will. He must be the one who does,
for in his own case He opened the door of death and threw it
off its hinges and came forth again. He's glorified. He's in
heaven. He's at the right hand of God.
And John writes of him seeing a vision of the Lord. And the
application of that, the common pictures of Jesus that we see
are without merit. They're simply the imagination
of men. We have not one hint scripture
of the physical appearance or looks of our Lord Jesus Christ
that we might sketch a picture of him. John pictures him here
in the midst of his churches. Yes, in the midst of his churches
as he walks about and gives them an angel. Well this blessed and
glorious one, high and exalted, I am alive forevermore and have
the keys of hell and and of death. And thank God for that vision
that John has given us of our blessed Savior.