Revelation 1: Revelation Of Jesus

Overview

Revelation 1:12 starts with the vision of Christ among the lampstands, helping His church to shine. It portrays Jesus’ ministry at the candlesticks, where He is among the churches to help, guide, and encourage them.

Jesus our High Priest (Hebrews 3:1) is shown with His priestly garments walking among the seven branched candlesticks, which are representing His church.

• Jesus became our High Priest after His ascension to heaven to begin His ministry in the Holy Place (Hebrews 9:24).

• In the letters, Jesus reproofs, rebukes, corrects, and commends His church.

• He ministers to His churches through the 7 stars (angels as ministering spirits) that are in His right hand.

• Compare the appearance of Jesus in Revelation 1:12–15 with Daniel 10:5–6.

Daniel 10:5–6 - 5 "Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz:

6 His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude."

🔹Parallel of the book of Revelation 1 with the book of Hebrews.

Together with the epistle to the Hebrews, Revelation emphasizes Jesus’ heavenly ministry. It shows that, after His ascension, Jesus was inaugurated into His royal and priestly ministry in the heavenly sanctuary. Without Revelation or Hebrews, our knowledge of Christ’s high-priestly ministry in heaven on behalf of His people would be very limited. And yet, besides Hebrews, the book of Revelation provides us with a unique look into the ministry of Jesus Christ on our behalf.

Revelation Chapter 1 - Verse 12

“12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks”

🔹Seven golden candlesticks

Revelation 1:20 - "The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches."

The seven lamps represent the seven churches of Asia Minor, which correspond to the seven stages of the church's history. The church aims to provide light, but achieving this requires regular trimming of the wick and the provision of oil for the lamps.

The daily responsibility of an assigned priest was to keep the Holy Place's lamps blazing brightly.

Leviticus 24:1-4 states that the High Priest was responsible for trimming the wicks and ensuring the candelabrum contained enough oil. In the Old Testament, Aaron represented Jesus Christ, our New Testament High Priest (Hebrews 8:1-2).

Revelation Chapter 1 - Verse 13

“13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.”

🔹Son of Man

This describes the glorified Jesus, our High Priest, in the heavenly temple. Jesus repeatedly referred to Himself as the Son of Man. Daniel 7's narrative shares the same setting as Revelation 1's, despite the differences in the historical events.

While Daniel 7 describes Jesus' ministry in the most holy place at the beginning of the Investigative Judgment, Revelation 1 focuses on Christ's ministry in the holy place at His ascension.

Daniel 7:9-10 - "9 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.

10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened."

Daniel 7:13-14 - "13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.

14 And there was given 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 that which shall not be destroyed."

🔹A golden girdle

The high priest in Israel also wears a girdle.

Isaiah 11:5 is a Messianic prophecy that also mentions the Messiah wearing a girdle.

Isaiah 11:5 - “And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.”

The High priest also had a girdle (belt), which reiterates the fact that Jesus is our High Priest.

Leviticus 8:7 - “And he put upon him the coat, and girded him with the girdle, and clothed him with the robe, and put the ephod upon him, and he girded him with the curious girdle of the ephod, and bound it unto him therewith.”

Revelation Chapter 1 - Verse 14

“14 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;”

🔹Hair white as wool

The color white represents purity. White hair symbolizes wisdom, aged experience, and dignity.

Proverbs 16:31 - "The hoary (grey/white) head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness."

Another theory is that Jesus might have suffered from Canities subita. Canities subita is a medical condition where stress or trauma causes hair to turn white.

We know that Jesus experienced trauma because he sweated blood. This means that his blood capillaries burst and entered into his sweat glands, which is a condition called hematohidrosis. Hematohidrosis is the result of extreme distress.

🔹Eyes of fire

The fiery eyes of Jesus symbolize the Holy Spirit. The eyes represent wisdom because the Spirit is all-wise and searches out the deep things of God (Ephesians 1:18). The Holy Spirit knows all and discerns all (Job 34:21–22).

Ephesians 1:18 - “The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,”

Job 34:21-22 - “21 For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings.

22 There is no darkness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.”

Revelation Chapter 1 - Verse 15 to 16

“15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.

16 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.”

🔹Right hand

The right hand is the hand that represents God’s favor (Matthew 25:33; Ephesians 1:20). Scripture repeatedly describes Jesus as sitting at God's right hand.

Ephesians 1:20 - "Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places"

🔹Seven stars

The seven stars represent all the faithful messengers of the Christian Church throughout its history (Revelation 1:20). An angel is another word for messenger.

Revelation 1:20 - "The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches."

Christ holds seven stars in His right hand. This reassures us that no church faithful to its trust should worry about coming to nothing, as Christ's Omnipotence protects even a star from removal.

🔹Sharp two-edged sword

Jesus speaks with a two-edged sword coming out of His mouth. Words come from His mouth; hence, the sword represents God's Word. According to Ephesians 6:17, the sword represents God's word. The two edges not only symbolize the sharpness of the word, but also the dual presence of God's message in the Old and New Testaments.

Ephesians 6:17 - "And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:"

Hebrews 4:12-13 - "12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do."

🔹Face as the sun

The Bible uses solar imagery to describe Jesus. According to Matthew 17:2, Jesus' face shined as brightly as the sun during his transfiguration. He is the sun of justice, with healing in His wings (Malachi 4:2).

Matthew 17:2 - "And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light."

Revelation Chapter 1 - Verse 17 to 20

“17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:”

“18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

19 Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter;

20 The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.”

🔹John fell as a dead man

When mankind encounters God, there is a sense of powerlessness. This caused John to fall at Jesus' feet. The touch of supernatural strength is followed by a command to not be frightened. Jesus demonstrates His divinity by saying of Himself that He is the first and last. He died, but not again. He is still alive and will remain so forever.

 🔹I am the First and the Last

Jesus is God in the highest sense because, in the Old Testament, it is YHWH who is described as the first and the last, the beginning and the end (see Isaiah 41:4; 44:6; 48:12).

🔹Keys of hell and of death

Christ's victory over death was complete. Revelation 22:16 describes Jesus as the root and offspring of David. Isaiah 22:22 foretold that He would receive the "key". The key is a sign of authority.

Isaiah 22:22 - "And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open."

We need not be afraid of facing death because Christ can unlock the grave and restore life to the dead. He will do this on his second coming.

Next: Revelation Chapter 2: Chapter Reading

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