Revelation 1:
1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, 2 who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw.
"The Revelation of Jesus Christ etc." — “Revelation is a book that teaches who and what Jesus Christ is. It reveals Him in all of His glory, unveils Him in all of His fullness… By drawing near to this book in the power of the Holy Spirit, we draw near to Christ… Matthew, Mark, Luke and John wrote what they saw of Jesus Christ on the earth in the days of His flesh. Luke, in the book of Acts, wrote of the revelation of Jesus that came by the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost and throughout the in-part realm of the earnest of the Spirit during the church age. But John, in the book of Revelation, wrote what he witnessed of the full and complete revelation of Jesus Christ …” (J. Preston Eby)
"Things which must shortly take place," (1a)“that is, the dispensations of God both touching his Church, and His and their enemies.” (Hanserd Knollys) This "echoes Daniel 2:28 of the Greek Old Testament as well as Jesus’ discourse on the Mount of Olives (Matt 24:6; Mark 13:7; Luke 21:9)...” (Ranko Stefanovoc), which spoke of His Coming again in glory. —
“And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, (1b) who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw.” (2) "The hidden things belong to Yahweh our God but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever." (Deut 29:29) These things were ”given by God to Jesus Christ [-from Father to Son-]; that Christ gave it to his angel; that this angel showed it to John; and that John sent it to the Churches.“ (Adam Clarke) “This revelation properly begins where Daniel ends; and both received their knowledge of the hidden things 'which must shortly take place' from Christ, and his angel." (Joseph Sutcliffe) Daniel was told to “shut up the words, and seal the book.” (Dan 12:4) John was instructed just the opposite. “Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.’” (Rev. 22:10)
3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.
“Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy and keep those things which are written in it...” (3a) — "A special blessing attends him who reads or hears the apocalyptic ‘prophecy’ with a view to keeping the things (as one article combines 'they that hear and keep:' not two classes, but only one-`they who not only hear, but also keep those things,' (Romans 2:13): even though he find not the key, he finds a stimulus to faith, hope, and patient waiting for Christ.” (Jamieson, Fausset, Brown) The book has “a moral significance. The meaning of these words is as follows: ‘Blessed is he who, reading this book, will prepare himself by his life and deeds of piety for eternity; for the translation to eternity is near for each of us.’” (Archbishop Averky)
“The words of Daniel apply here. None of the wicked shall understand, but the wise…, they shall understand. Daniel 12:10." (Joseph Sutcliffe)-- "'and keep those things which are written in it’; remember the truths herein taught, and do the duties required." (Justin Edwards) Yet some "inquire after anything rather than this; as if it were written, ‘Happy is he that doth not read this prophecy.’ Nay, but happy is he that readeth, and they that hear, and keep the words thereof....” (Wesley) for the time is at hand." (3b);- "on the point of being fulfilled" (John Wesley)- the establishment of the final, Eternal Kingdom, not made with hands- prophesied of in the book of Daniel.
4 John, to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth.
Grace to you and peace FROM Him who is and who was and who is to come” — from the Father. “Thus says Yahweh, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, Yahweh of hosts: ‘I am the First and I am the Last; besides Me there is no God.” (Isaiah 44:60) “This title of God is essentially that of Exodus 3:14, ‘I AM who I AM.’ Christ also used this title of himself in Mark 6:50; Mark 13:6; Mark 14:62, and in John 6:35; John 8:12; John 10:7; John 11:25 and John 14:6.” (Burton Coffman) This is the great mystery of godliness. —“and FROM the seven Spirits who are before His throne…” (4b)— ““Isa. 11:2 has this: ‘And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.’ There are seven titles of the Holy Spirit in this passage from Isaiah, and from very early times this reference in Revelation has been associated with it. ‘It denotes the Holy Spirit in the plenitude of his grace and power.’ (F. F. Bruce) ” (Burton Coffman) — “and FROM Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the first-born from the dead”— “Christ was not the first in point of time to be resurrected. From the Biblical records, Moses was the first resurrected in point of time. [Enoch in contrast was translated without seeing death.] Therefore, if the ‘first-born,’ or ‘first’ is not in point of time it must have another significance. That significance is in its importance… The resurrection of Jesus Christ holds this ‘first position’ in status because all those raised from the dead before and after the resurrection of Christ gain their freedom from the bonds of death on the virtue of Christ's resurrection… If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished" (1 Cor. 15: 14-18, R.S.V.).’” https://www.ministrymagazine.org.
“And the ruler over the kings of the earth.” (5b) “This is His future title and glory.”(Gaebelein) “Also I will make Him my first-born, higher than the kings of the earth.” (Ps 89:27)
5c To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, 6 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 7 Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen. 8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
“To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood,” (5c) “Judah offered to be bound that Benjamin might go free. Jonathan risked his life and quitted his kingdom for love of David. Arsinoe interposed her own body between the murderer’s weapons and her children. But what was all this to this incomparable love of the Lord Jesus?” (John Trapp) He loves you and offers to wash you from your sins in His own blood. "Behold the blood of the covenant"(Exo. 24:8; Heb, 9:20) is the voice of both covenants, but here not the blood of innocent animals. Obedience in all ages is by faith in efficiency of the blood to cleanses from sin, and draw us near to the Throne of Grace, by which “shall we realize the dominion over the anarchic, rebellious self, which God means every man to exercise...” (Alexander Maclaren) By His own blood— He “has made us kings and priests to His God and Father,” (6a) He speaks thus: “If you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then shall you be to Me a kingdom of priests.” (Exo. 19:6) “There is one category only present- that of priest. "The Alexandrian copy, and Complutensian edition, read, ‘a kingdom, priests’; and the Vulgate Latin version, ‘a kingdom and priests’; and the Arabic version, ‘a kingdom of priesthood’; reference seems to be had to Exodus 19:6,” (John Gill)
"But there is rebellion in the monarchy, as we all know, a revolt that spreads widely.” (Alexander Maclaren) Israel of old, as a picture of self, failed and probation ended with the destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD. Now let us see what God can do through us by the cleansing of His own blood.
The members of the universal church "were loved before washed; they were not first washed, and then loved, but first loved, and then washed... hence it appears that they were in themselves filthy, and unclean through sin; and that they could not cleanse themselves by anything they could do; and that such was the love of Christ to them, that He shed His precious blood for them, which is a fountain opened, to wash in for sin.” (Gill), after the OT type of the brazen laver of the tabernacle. Apply His blood by baptism. “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38)
“to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” (6b) The Pope says that a personal relationship with Jesus outside of the church is dangerous. But I say that you must have that personal relationship first. You must be willing to go to him outside of the camp, if necessary. Your wrestling with the biblical Jesus and prevailing washes you by His blood— by Hs Word and His Spirit. It causes you to allow Him to apply His blood to you. And thus He ordains you to have your lot as priest and servant of Jesus in His Kingdom. I say, “there is one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.” (1 Tim 2:5) We submit to Jesus alone- not to other priests nor even popes or bishops.“Paul says that Christians are raised with Christ and made to sit with him in the heavenly places in Christ (Eph 2:6) ‘Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.’ (Eph 2:19) (Ranko Stefanovic) Let us continually offer the spiritual sacrifice of praise to His name.
“Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him.” (7a) “All sinners who have pierced His heart by their crimes will then behold Him and will mourn over their treatment of Him; they, in a special manner, who imbrued their hands in His blood will then remember their crime and be overwhelmed with alarm. The design of what is here said seems to be, to show that the coming of the Savior will be an event of great interest to all mankind. None can be indifferent to it, for all will see Him.” (Barnes) We will be judged by His Words. Even so, Amen, “or ‘may it be fulfilled.’”
Then, Jesus speaks: “‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord, ‘who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.’” (8) He is One with the Father. "Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, the Lord thereby claiming that He embodies all language and, in fact, all reality. He is 'the Word' (John 1:1), embodying 'all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge' (Colossians 2:3). He also claims to be the Eternal One and the Omnipotent One. A more definitive claim to absolute deity, made by the glorified Lord Jesus in reference to Himself, could hardly be imagined." (New Defender's Study Bible Notes) Here is a awe provoking thought. We are His priests now, "but in the future faithful Christians, His bond-servants, will also reign with Jesus Christ on the earth (cf. Revelation 5:10).” (Dr. Thomas Constable)
9 I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.
"I John" much like "I Daniel"- “The tribulation and the kingdom do not exist contemporaneously. Murdock's translation of the Syriac of this verse omits the word kingdom, and reads as follows: ‘I John, your brother, and partaker with you in the affliction and suffering that are in Jesus the Messiah.’ Wakefield translates: ‘I John, your brother, and sharer with you in enduring the affliction of the kingdom of Jesus Christ.’ Bloomfield says that by the words tribulation and patience ‘are denoted afflictions and troubles to be endured for the sake, and in the cause of Christ: and [kingdom] intimates that he is to be partaker with them in the kingdom prepared for them.’ He says that ‘the best comment on this passage is 2 Tim. 2:12,’ which reads: ‘If we suffer, we shall also reign with him.’ From all which we may safely conclude that though there is a kingdom of grace in the present state, the kingdom to which John alluded is the future kingdom of glory, and the suffering and patience are preparatory to its enjoyment.” (Uriah Smith “Daniel and the Revelation”)
“Domition, Emperor of Rome at the latter end of his reign about A.D. 95 or 96” exiled John to Patmos for his testimony of Jesus and faithfulness to proclaiming the word of God. This was his “high crime and misdemeanor.” (Uriah Smith) “This island is about 6 to 8 miles in length and about 15 miles in circumference… Anciently it was a convict quarry… The book is to be a constant reminder, both to the church and their leaders experiencing the pain and hardship of a ‘Patmos,’ that a ‘Patmos’ of tribulation for faithfulness to the Gospel always results in a Patmos experience, namely, the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (Ranko Stefanovic) Mine is very small and lonely!
10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, 11 saying, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,” and, “What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.”
“I was in the Spirit”— “Physically, John was in Patmos; spiritually, he was in the fullness of the Holy Spirit! That which John experienced at Patmos was something beyond his conversion. It was a new consciousness, a complete communion. He was in tune and in touch with the infinite so that it was with the most perfect ease that God revealed His plans!.” (Albert Hughes)— “on the Lord’s Day “ (10a)— “John, as a Jew, raised in the Hebrew Scriptures that were his Bible, knew that the seventh day of the week was that day blessed by God and set aside as holy. In Isaiah 58:13, God refers to the Sabbath as ‘my holy day’: If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on My holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy day of the LORD… (Isa 58:13)… the Commandment says , ‘for the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God’.… Jesus Himself made reference to His ownership of the Sabbath during His walk through the cornfield. In Mark 2:28 and Matthew 12:8, He states that the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath… it is widely accepted that John was referring to Sunday in this passage. Sola Scriptura leaves no room for interpretations based on tradition.” (Nicolas Brightman)
And I heard a loud voice as of a trumpet- "The trumpet summoned to religious feasts, accompanying God's revelation of Himself." (Jameson, Faussett, Brown)— saying, “I am Alpha and Omega. (11a) —In this verse we pass from St. John to Him who was the Word, of whom St. John gave testimony. He who is the faithful witness now speaks. ‘What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches'—There were more than seven churches in Asia Minor; but the number selected indicates completeness. Thus, though having special reference to the conditions of those churches, the epistles may be regarded as epistles conveying ever appropriate lessons to the churches of succeeding ages. The names of the seven churches are enumerated, as they would naturally be by a person writing from Patmos. ‘First, Ephesus is addressed, as the Asiatic metropolis, and as the nearest church to Patmos; then the other churches on the western coast of Asia; then those in the interior’ (Wordsworth).” (Elliott Commentary)
12 Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. 14 His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; 15 His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; 16 He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.
“Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me.” (12a) “And as he turned he beheld the greatest vision human eyes have ever seen. He saw seven golden candlesticks (lampstands); these represent the seven churches (Revelation 1:20) and are symbolical of the whole [universal] Church. 'In the midst,' John saw one 'like unto a Son of Man' (13a)"- (Arno Gaebelein)- the title given by Daniel to the Messiah of Israel. Daniel gives a similar description of Jesus in Daniel 7:9-14. He became like man to save them.
"But He is more than Man…" (Arno Gaebelein) "I was watching in the night visions, and behold, One like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought Him near before Him."-Daniel 7:13 "His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, His head and his hairs were white as snow; suggesting purity and Ancient of Days (14a)…’He is clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band.’ In Old Testament days, the High Priest wore a golden girdle cf. Exodus 28:8 ‘Its skillfully woven waistband is to be like it--of one piece with the ephod and made with gold, and with blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and with finely twisted linen.’ Jesus, likewise, is seen wearing a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest.” (Ranko Stefanovic)
“and His eyes like a flame of fire;" (14b) “The flaming eyes are the symbol of His all-seeing wrath against evil, and the feet of burning brass symbolize the exalted Christ’s power to tread down His enemies and consume them.” (MacLaren) “His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace” (15a) “He stood firm then when He was cast into the fire of His Father’s wrath.” (Trapp) "By the 'feet' of Christ here, we may understand the paths or ways of his feet, called his footsteps, which the saints ought to follow, { 1 Peter 2:21} both in suffering and in doing the Father's will. Christ's active and passive obedience hath been tried, as 'refined brass,' and all Christ's proceedings in the world, against His, and His churches and peoples enemies and adversaries, are righteous, firm, and stable. {Deuteronomy 32:4; 1 Corinthians 15:24-25}.“ (Knollys' Commentary)
“‘His voice was as the sound of many waters,’ like the billows that broke on Patmos, whereby is symbolized the majesty of His utterance of power, whether for rebuke or encouragement, but mainly for the former.” (Alexander MacLaren)
“He had in His right hand seven stars,” (16a) — "Stars symbolize lordship (Numbers 24:17 : cf. Daniel 12:3, of faithful teachers; Revelation 8:10; Revelation 12:4; Jude 1:13)." (Jamieson, Fausett, Brown)— “and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword” (16b) “The imagery is drawn for Isaiah 49:2, where God makes his servant’s mouth like a sharpe sword. In Psalm 149:6 the two edged sword is used to execute judgment upon the wicked. It reminds one also of Hebrews 4:12 where it is revealed ‘the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword.’ Paul refers to ‘the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God’ (Eph 6:17) In Revelation 19, Jesus’ name is ‘Word of God’ as He goes to battle the enemies of God.” (Ranko Stefanovic)— and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. (16c) "Compare this whole description with the scene of the transfiguration, beheld by our seer, Matthew 17:2, 'His face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light,' which was intended, like this, to form our conceptions of the glorified body of Christ, and subordinately of the glorified saints." (Whedon Commentary)
17 And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. 18 I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.
“John in a pile on the ground filled with fear feels the hand of Jesus and hears those comforting words ‘Don't be afraid.’ It is me, Jesus… Jesus laid his right hand upon John and reassured him … that He is GOD. I am the First and the Last. Listen to me, O Jacob, Israel, whom I have called: I am He; I am the first and I am the last. (Isa 44:6) This is what the Lord says–Israel's King and Redeemer, the Lord Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God. (Isa 48:12) Do not tremble, do not be afraid. Did I not proclaim this and foretell it long ago? You are my witnesses. Is there any God besides me? No, there is no other Rock; I know not one.” (Nicholas Brightman)
Don’t be afraid. I have loved you and you Me. “I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.” (18) "I have the power over death, and the state of the dead, so as I can raise those that are dead to life again." (Whedon's Commentary)... for judgment and final sentencing.
19 Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this. 20 The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.
A remnant has always “generally understood the Books of Daniel and Revelation in what is termed a ‘historicist’ context; that is to say they understood the events of these books to cover the entire course of Christian history from the apostolic period right through the second advent of Christ. They understood the first church (Ephesus) to represent the church in the days of the apostles, and the church at Laodicea, the seventh to represent the church of the last days when Christ returns.” (Nicholas Brightman)
“God’s faithful people are associated with stars. (Daniel 12:3) But here seems to be a problem with this precept. John plainly says that the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches. Angel in the Old Testament is the word Malek or Messenger. “In Malachi, the priests and messengers of God’s people are referred to as angels (Mal 2:7; 3:1), an idea that also appears in the New Testament (cf. Matt 11:10) The context here suggests that the angels stand for the leaders of the churches…. ‘they represent the churches in such a way that they are practically identified with them, and are responsible for the conditions of the churches.’ (Beckwith)”(Ranko Stefanovic)
Here is a vital message set forth from the beginning."And the seven candlesticks are seven churches - How significant an emblem is this! For a candlestick, though of gold, has no light of itself; neither has any church, or child of man. But they receive from Christ the light of truth, holiness, comfort, that it may shine to all around them." (John Wesley)
This is not about a physical battle centered in the Middle East but rather a spiritual battle in the Church of God. “As we open the sacred pages, we discover statements about ‘Mount Zion’ (14:1), ‘the twelve tribes of Israel’ (7:4-8), ‘Jerusalem’ (21:10), ‘the temple’ (11:19), ‘Sodom and Egypt’ (11:8), ‘Babylon’ (17:5), ‘Gog and Magog’ (20:8), ‘the great river Euphrates’ (16:12), and ‘Armageddeon’ (16:16). Thus, it is obvious that Revelation uses terminology and geography of the Middle East in its prophecies. What is happening right now all over the planet earth is that evangelical scholars are applying most of these terms literally—to those places, and to the Jewish Nation in the Middle East. Here’s the explosive question: does our Lord intend for these prophecies to be literally applied to ‘Israel after the flesh’ (1 Cor 10:18), or should they be applied to ‘the Israel of God’ (Gal 6:16) in Jesus Christ?... John beheld the Risen One walking ‘in the midst of the seven lampstands’ (1:13). The idea of ‘seven lampstands’ takes our minds back to the seven-branched candlestick inside the Jewish temple before it was destroyed in 70 A.D. by Roman armies. Yet in Revelation, the ‘seven lampstands’ are not literal, but clearly symbolic. What do they represent? Explaining ‘the mystery,’ the true Interpreter declared, ‘… the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches’ (Rev 1:20). Thus, in Revelation’s very first chapter, Jesus took something extremely Jewish and used it symbolically to represent His Church. As we shall see, this is one of the key interpretive principles to understanding the entire Book…” ("End Time Delusions: The Rapture, the Antichrist, Israel, and the End of the World" by Steven Wohlberg)