Revelation 1

1 – 2

This is the revelation of Jesus Christ. God gave this revelation to Jesus, to show His servants what will quickly happen. And Jesus sent His angel to show it to his servant John. John has told everything that he has seen. It is the truth that Jesus Christ told him; it is the message from God.

Many people think the book of Revelation cannot be understood. This book was written to show us (not hide) the secrets of the last days.

3. The one who reads the words of God’s message is happy. And the people who hear this message and do what is written in it are blessed. The time is near when all of this will happen.

Early church services would read the letters from the apostles out loud to the church. We see that God wants us to read and hear and do what is written.

4. From John, To the seven churches in Asia: Grace and peace to you from the One who is and was and is coming, and from the seven spirits before His throne,

God is not limited by time. He always has been and He always will be.

5. and from Jesus Christ. Jesus is the faithful witness. He is first among those raised from death. He is the ruler of the kings of the earth.

He is the One who loves us. And He is the One who washed from our sins with the blood of His death.

Jesus is the first to rise from the dead and go to the Father and we will follow in the same way. We are washed and do not have to be held down by our sin anymore.

6. He made us to be a kingdom of priests who serve God his Father. To Jesus Christ be glory and power forever and ever! Amen.
A priest stands between God and man. In some way, all Christians do this. We speak to men about the things of God and speak to God about men.

7. Look, Jesus is coming with the clouds! Everyone will see Him, even those who speared Him. And all peoples of the earth will cry loudly because of Him. Yes, this will happen! Amen.

This is not talking about the rapture because the rapture will happen in secret. This is talking about the Second Coming of Christ when everyone on earth will see Him.
Zechariah 12:10, Daniel 7:13

8. The Lord God says, “I am the Alpha and the Omega. I am the One who is and was and is coming. I am the All–Powerful.”
Alpha and Omega means the beginning and the end.

9. I am John, and I am your brother in Christ. We are together in Jesus, and we share in these things: in suffering, in the kingdom, and in patience. I was on the island of Patmos because I had preached God’s message and the truth about Jesus.

John was the pastor of the church of Ephesus and the other churches in the area. He was put on the island of Patmos which was a Roman mining slave camp.

10. I was taken by the Spirit to the time of the Day of the Lord. I heard a loud voice behind me that sounded like a trumpet.

This trumpet reminds us of the ram’s horn called the Shofar, which was used during the feasts of Israel. The Shofar was used to blow different signals to the Jews. One long blast was used to get everybody’s attention because God was getting ready to speak.

John was taken by the Spirit to see the time of God’s judgment on the earth. This judgment is called the day of the Lord. Ezekiel and Daniel also saw things before they happened. Ezekiel 40–41, Daniel 11

11. The voice said, “Write what you see and send that book to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.”

These churches were in the area which is now called Turkey.

12. I turned to see who was talking to me. When I turned, I saw seven golden lampstands.

In verse 20 Jesus says that these lampstands are the churches. God wants His church to reflect His light to show men the way of out darkness. We are not doing our job if we make it hard to men to see in the dark by forgetting to shine.

You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. Matthew 5:14

13 – 15

I saw someone among the lampstands who was “like a Son of Man.” He was dressed in a long robe. He had a gold band around His chest.

His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow. His eyes were like flames of fire. His feet were like bronze that glows hot in a furnace. His voice was like the noise of the ocean.

Daniel described Jesus exactly the same way. Judges used to wear white wigs and a robe to show that they were representing God. Remember, this is the day of God’s judgment and Jesus is showing Himself as ready to judge the world. Nothing can stop His Words as the power of the ocean. See Daniel 7:9 – 10.

16. He held seven stars in his right hand. A sharp two–edged sword came out of His mouth. He looked like the sun shining at its brightest time.

In verse 20 Jesus says that these stars are the pastors of the seven churches. It is good to know that Jesus is holding your pastor in His hands. The sword is the Word of God which cuts evil men’s hearts when it goes in, and when it comes out.

17. When I saw Him, I fell down at his feet like a dead man. He put His right hand on me and said, “Do not be afraid! I am the First and the Last.

John used to lean on Jesus when he knew Him on earth. When we see Jesus in His glory we know that we need to see Him as our king and be careful to show respect.

18. I am the One who lives. I was dead, but look: I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and where the dead are.

Jesus is the key to save men from spiritual death. Unbelievers say that they can put off thinking about dying until someday later. They do not understand that the reason their lives are so hard is because they have spiritual death already in their minds and relationships with others.

The way of an unbeliever is hard. Proverbs 13:15

19. So write the things you see, what is now and what will happen later.

Jesus says that these are the reasons that this book was written. He did not say that we can explain everything that we see. We trust Him for what we do not understand. He would not show us these things unless He plans to open our eyes to understand.

Seal up the vision, because it is for the last days. Daniel 8:26

20. Here is the hidden meaning of the seven stars that you saw in My right hand and the seven golden lampstands that you saw: The seven lampstands are the seven churches. The seven stars are the pastors of the seven churches.

When we see that Jesus walks back and forth in His churches it should make us careful how we walk and talk in God’s church. If we pay attention, we can see His Spirit moving back and forth among His people, and healing them on the inside and outside. This is real!