Revelation 1:12-18 – I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. 15 His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. 17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18 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.
“His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters.” His feet are seen as metallic. They have sure strength to support Him and all He shall do and they are also metal and able to tread over those who oppose Him (Do not know Him as Savior and Lord). As the book of Revelation clearly reveals, God does not wince as He describes that judgement has come to the evil (Those who have resisted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord). It is a fact. God is just and He brings justice with Him. Some would have God neglect justice so that this one or that one may enter into heaven without having yielded to Jesus. Bah! God does not show favoritism (Romans 2:11). God is wholly and entirely just. None can enter on the basis of their own goodness. None. If God were to let one, just one, in on the basis of good work then all that were not let in for the same reason, would be unjustly treated by God, and God would be rising against Himself, His Word, and against all of mankind. God is good and just and it is clear in His Word that He there is only one way to eternal peace with God and that is through Jesus (Acts 4:12, John 14:6). The Bible does not draw back and timidly say that Jesus returns to judge. Neither should we. Our alliance is with God. We are not ashamed and do not shrink back from Him or His Word. He and it are life to us. We cling to Him fully, or we have none of Him. We either say His Word is inerrant and infallible, or none of the promises of God stand. If one iota of God’s Word is not true, then the whole of it falls. God is coming back. He is coming back this time as the Mighty One and His enemies will be conquered. There will be no exceptions.
Another inference we can draw from this description of Jesus is that He is the one who was in the furnace with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (Daniel 3:25). The one who did not allow them to be burned in the fire furnace is the same on who stands with us through our fiery trials.
His voice is like rushing waters. The sound of a rushing mighty river can be very loud. It is powerful and awe-inspiring. It holds one’s attention as it takes away one’s breath. His voice will be heard by all. Rushing waters have power. His voice comes with power.
“16 In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword.” What the seven stars are is revealed in V20 “…The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches…). We know that the “aggelos” (transliteration) is most often translated as angel. It means someone who is sent. It most often represents angels that wait before the throne of God to do His bidding. They bring His message to the mankind. Some here suppose that what is meant here refers to church pastors. Certainly the Lord ordains pastors to be messengers to His churches. However, it seems the stronger sense to be to taken is what seems to be obviously stated. The fact that Israel has the Archangel Michael as “…the great prince who protects your people…” (Daniel 12:1) clearly shows that God assigns angels to protect. God has assigned angels to protect these seven churches that were being oppressed and whom the enemy wanted to extinguish.
“His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.” Brilliance is otherwise and more appropriately translated, strength. Plainly seen in the face of the returning triumphant and conquering Messiah is strength. As men who oppose Him see Him they see He whom they insulted and attempted to degrade, coming in His fully revealed self, as God Himself. The Lamb is now the Lion.
“When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead.” When Isaiah saw the Lord (Isaiah 6:1-5) he said “…Woe is me!” Isn’t it queer, absolutely dumbfounding, that men rise to a level of arrogance that they think they could confront God on any level? Here the prophet Isaiah comes “unglued” after seeing the Lord. God describes Job as “There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil. (Job 1:8)” Yet as this highly regarded Job was in the presence of the Lord God, being questioned by Him, Job also was instantly aware of the greatness of God and the smallness of man. Job was ashamed at having questioned God in any way (Job 40:4-5). When Jesus replied to the question if He was Jesus, and revealed His divinity in His answer that He is the great I AM, the power of Him just mentioning who He is knocked over the soldiers and officials. Yet men suppose to raise their fist at God and foolishly believe that their raise fists prove the inexistence or the impotence of God. Or men, even some who profess to be Believers, sometimes state that when the see God they will interrogate Him. Foolishness. Whether saint of sinner, all shall kneel at the feet of God. Friends, if Jesus was to appear to us in all His majesty, we too, would be afraid, even to look at Him, just as Moses was (Exodus 3:6). Friends, revere the Lord God because, though He is indeed love, He is also so awesome and powerful that He is overwhelming. Even John, the apostle that Jesus loved and was part of His inner group, fell prostrate in fear. Don’t let anyone deceive you. John’s act was not an act of reverence, but of awe, fear and of being overwhelmed. Our God is tender and loves us, but never forget that His might and strength. We shall see Him soon, at the right time. Everyone shall see.
“Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid.” So we see from the preceding and this section of the verse, an application of who we know Jesus to be. He is the Almighty God and He is also our tender and loving Lord. John was deathly afraid of this vision of Jesus. This was not the suffering and enduring servant that He had walked with. This is the Son of Man in all Hs glory and infinite power. Yet, as John lay frozen on the ground, the nail pierced hand reaches out to John to comfort and reassure His old friend. He touches Him and says to Him “It’s okay John, it’s me.” We should always respectfully regard Jesus as Almighty God, but never fear Him who loves us so tenderly. Praise our God! Praise our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ!
“18 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.” Yes, He is Jesus Christ, Supernaturally conceived of God within a virgin girl. He was born not half man and half God, but fully God and fully Man. He lived a sinless life that He may be the unspotted, perfect Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world. He humbled Himself unto the will of our Father God, was despised and rejected by the ones He came to save. He was “wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:1-7)” He seemed to have had His life taken from Him, but He had not. In fact, He offered it as a sacrifice for the sins of the world that we may have peace with God (John 10:17-18, 1 John 2:2). The point of our faith is the resurrection of Jesus. If Jesus did not rise from the dead, then our faith is useless (1 Corinthians 15:14). But Christ has indeed risen dead (1 Corinthians 15:20) and God has given His grace for the redemption of all who will come. It is important that it is pointed out that who John is seeing is the same Jesus He had walked with. Jesus was He who was alive, was killed, and now is alive. Jesus says “now look!” Everyone look that all I have said has come true! Be happy, your salvation is assured. Praise God! Look, look, look, Jesus lives! And He shall live forever! He has the keys to death and to Hades (the place of the dead) and we need not worry. Some believe that He is here saying that if you don’t follow Him you will be placed in Hades and shall suffer. Family, He is not issuing a threat. He is making a statement of the current condition of those who don’t belong to Him. Those who are saved have been moved from bondage and death to freedom and life. Those who do not have Jesus as Savior and Lord remain in their condition of bondage and eternal death (John 3:16-18).
Revelation 1:19 “Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later.” While God has not revealed all the details, He has given us needed details. Needed as determined by Him. Read and be wise. John writes of things of the past, things of the then present, and things to come. That is where we live, in the things that were and are to come. We live among the things that were to come and now are coming. Let’s keep our eyes open. Jesus is coming back and our troubles in this world will be over. Family, let’s “keep on keeping on” in Jesus! Praise God!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown You, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of You but to do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with Your God.