Greeting - Revelation 1:4-5a

John to the seven churches in Asia; grace to you and peace from the one who is and who was and who is coming, and from the seven spirits which are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. [Translation by David Mills]

The greeting and doxology (vv. 5b-8) introduce Revelation like a letter or epistle, and the benediction in 22:21 closes Revelation like a letter. The letter is from the apostle John to the seven churches in Asia. The seven churches are seven literal churches in the province of Asia, but the number seven also suggests completeness so that all churches should hear and keep the words written by John.[6]

As in many epistles, the greeting introduces major themes which occur in the letter. One such theme is the exodus with the plagues poured out on Egypt. This them is introduced when John says that grace and peace are from the one who is and who was and who is coming. This eternal one is the I AM who intervened on behalf of his people to free them from slavery in Egypt. The I AM has not changed. He still is the one who is and who was and who is coming. He is the faithful, ever present God who even yet intervenes with plagues in the world on behalf of his saints (Revelation 8:6 ff. and 16:1 ff.) and who is coming to dwell with them (Revelation 21:2-4).

Grace and peace are also from the seven spirits which are before his throne. Again, seven represents completeness. The Holy Spirit bestows all gifts which enable God's people to live faithful lives and bear faithful witness to God and his son Jesus Christ (Revelation 11:3 ff.).

Finally, grace and peace are from Jesus Christ. He came to earth as the faithful witness of his Father, and for that witness he suffered and died. Because he was faithful, he became the firstborn from the dead and the ruler of the kings of the earth. This Jesus is a pattern for Christians who will also be raised from the dead and seated with Christ on his throne if they are faithful witnesses in the face of persecution and death.

Footnotes

[6] Seven is associated with completeness because God completed his work of creation and rested in seven days.

Symbols Reveal Rather than Conceal

John does not use symbols as a secret code to conceal anything. Rather, he uses symbols for common things, people, or experiences to reveal spiritual truths which are easily missed or forgotten. For example, he calls the churches to which he is writing "a kingdom" and "priests" (Revelation 1:6). John uses this symbol borrowed from the Old Testament to reveal the glorious nature of the church. In an age when the churches were being persecuted and oppressed, it would be easy to forget the glory of the church.

Later, John describes Jesus as the  "Lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David" and then as "a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain" (Revelation 5:5-6). He uses these symbols to emphasize the glorious position and ministry of their crucified Lord.

In the examples just cited, the symbols are drawn from two spheres: the kingdom and the temple. In fact, symbols relating to the kingdom and the temple recur so often that they form motifs or themes that will be considered in more detail in following posts.

The Prophet on the Mountain

Reflections on Matthew 5:1

ἀνέβη εἰς τὸ ὄρος - "he went up into the mountain" is the exact phrase used of Moses in Exodus 19:3 (LXX; also 24:18; 34:4) when he received the Law from God and gave it to Israel.  Jesus is presented as the "prophet like Moses" to whom the people were to give heed (Deut. 18:18-19) for his words were also from God.  In fact, his words fulfill and supersede the words of Moses.  In both cases, a multitude of people surrounded God's prophet on the mountain.  May we be more than one in that crowd that Jesus saw.  May we be one of those disciples or learners who come to him and give heed to his words.

Jesus Christ, Son of God

Reflections on Mark 1:1

Where does the good news begin?  It begins in Jesus Christ, the Son of God.  

Good news, salvation has come.  Jesus is a name which means “Jehovah is salvation” or “Jehovah saves.” The one who saves his people from their sins has come (Matthew 1:21).  

Good news, the Messiah reigns.  Christ is the Greek word for the Hebrew word Messiah, the title worn by Israel's king indicating that God had designated and consecrated him to be the king by anointing him with sacred oil.  For centuries, no king had reigned in Israel, but now God has anointed a king whom he strengthens and establishes as he did David (Psalm 89:19-29). The anointed king shepherds God’s people by binding up the broken hearted, proclaiming liberty to captives, and comforting those who mourn (Isaiah 61:1-4).  

Good news, God is with us.  Jesus is not merely a human who is subject to all the weaknesses of sinful flesh.  Instead, he is “God with us,” or “Immanuel” (Matthew 1:23).  He does not fail to deliver and comfort his people.  Even though he was tested even to the point of death, he arose victorious over death and lives to deliver and to comfort his people.

The Lion and the Lamb

Reflections on Revelation 5:1-14

In the right hand of the one on the throne is a scroll which is sealed with seven seals. Then John hears an angel asking, "Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?" At first, no one is found worthy to open the scroll, so John begins to weep. At that point, one of the elders informs John that the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed and so could open the sealed scroll. The Lion of the tribe of Judah alludes to Genesis 49:8-12 where it refers to one of Judah's descendants whom all peoples would obey. The Root of David alludes to Isaiah 11:1-10 where it says that one of David's descendants would arise to judge the poor with righteousness, give equity to the meek of the earth, and slay the wicked until all the nations inquire of him. Therefore, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the Root of David, is a son of man who would bring all nations and people into obedience to him.

In Daniel 7:10, the books were opened when the court sat in judgment before the Ancient of Days. At that time, one like a son of man ascended with the clouds of heaven to receive a kingdom. Here Jesus, the Son of Man has ascended into heaven and will initiate the judgment of the nations by opening the first of several books to be opened (Revelation 20:12).

John turns to see the Lion, and sees instead a Lamb that had been slain. The allusion here is primarily to Isaiah 53. The perfect, sinless Lamb of God was wounded for the transgression of others; he was crushed for their iniquities. He who judges is also the one who has earned the right to make intercession. Even in judgment, there is hope.

The four living creatures and elders praise the Lamb as the one who has purchased people from every tribe and nation and made them to be a kingdom and priests who reign on the earth. Then a multitude of angels declare that the Lamb is a king worthy to receive power, wealth, wisdom, might, honor, glory, and blessing. Finally, all creation joins in praising the Lord on the throne and the Lamb before it.

The contents of the sealed scroll will be based primarily on the discourse Jesus gave his disciples while on the Mount of Olives. It outlined his conquest and judgment of the nations and his gathering of the elect. The discourse is found in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21. Notice the general order of the discourse:

1. Wars and famines (Matthew 24:6-8; Seals 1-4)
2. Persecution (Matthew 24:9 ff.; Seal 5)
3. Signs in heaven and mourning on earth (Matthew 24:29-30; Seal 6)
4. Gathering of the elect (Matthew 24:31; between Seals 6 and 7)

The Son of Man and the Saints

The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
-- Revelation 1:20 NIV

The seven churches have been identified as those in Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. Certainly those churches are addressed here, but the number seven suggests that they represent all churches of all times because seven is the number of completeness. Here, the Son of Man is pictured as walking among the churches and communicating with them. What is his relationship to the churches and the saints in them?

As mentioned earlier, the vision of the Son of Man is drawn from Daniel 7, which forms the basis of a significant portion of Revelation. In Daniel 7:14, the Son of Man is given an eternal kingdom and rules over all peoples, nations, and languages. There is opposition to his rule for a time (Daniel 7:21), but in the end he will give the kingdom to "the saints of the Most High," and they will possess it forever (Daniel 7:18, 27). The saints in the churches and the saints of the Most High are one and the same. At the beginning of his reign when opposition to his rule has just begun, the Son of Man speaks to the saints who will possess the kingdom. He speaks to them to encourage them and admonish them that they might be patient when suffering and faithful when tempted to compromise so that they will be found worthy to possess the kingdom when victory is achieved. The king is speaking to his army and rallying his troops for the battle ahead. The Son of Man is king and commander. The saints are his soldiers, and the churches are military outposts in enemy territory.

The Meaning of a Touch

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. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
-- Revelation 1:17-18 NIV

Commoners have difficulty believing royalty would have any interest in their own affairs and or could possibly understand their struggles or sufferings. Commoners are awed by the power and prosperity of royalty. Accordingly, when John sees the one who reign over all peoples, nations, and languages, the one whose thone in heaven is exalted above all others, he falls at his feet as though dead. Then the Son of God does an amazing thing. He reaches out and touches John. He says, "Do not be afraid." While it is true that he is "the First and the Last" and "the Living One," he has also died. He has been born just like we are, lived in poverty just as many of us do, endured unjust accusations and condemnation, felt the pain of cruel punishment, and understood the alienation of death. He has become the Son of Man so that he might sympathize with the sons of men, so he reaches out and touches John. But the touch is more than the touch of sympathy. It is also the touch of power because he who has been killed is now alive forever. Furthermore, he holds the keys of death and Hades. He is willing to use his power on behalf of those he understands and loves.

Every Eye Will See Him

Look, he is coming with the clouds,
and every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him;
and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him.
So shall it be! Amen.
-- Rev 1:7 NIV

Many await Christ's return with the clouds in power and glory with loving and eager anticipation, but many would prefer never to see him. Those who crucified him and pierced his side with a spear would prefer not to see him again. Those who betrayed him, slandered him, condemned him, abused him, and mocked him would prefer not to see him again. Those who have cursed him, scorned him, and ignored him throughout the years since his death would prefer not to see him. However, when Jesus returns, he will not be ignored or overlooked. All who do not love his appearing will mourn and wail because he comes to judge the world in righteousness.

The Revelation of Jesus Christ

The words "the revelation of Jesus Christ" can be understood in two ways: 1) that which reveals Jesus Christ, or 2) that which Jesus Christ reveals. Perhaps we should understand it both ways. Today, I will look at the first way.

The last book of the Bible tells us a great deal about Jesus. It tells of his birth, of the attempt to kill him at birth, of his sacrificial death, of his ascension to the Father, of his authority over the churches, of the glory he shares with the Father, of his dominion over spiritual and human forces, of his second coming, of his victory over all that is evil, and of his reward for the saints. He is Lord of lords and King of kings yet he is intimately concerned about those who serve him. He rebukes, warns, exhorts, encourages, protects, blesses, and makes promises to them.

Revelation is more concerned that we know Jesus than the time of his coming. Do you know him today?