Clergy/Leaders’ Mail-list No. 3-068 (Expository Sermon)

LORD OF THE CHURCHES Revelation 1:9-20

by Rod Benson

Like you, I have dreams before I wake from sleep. Sometimes they are vivid, but mostly they are irrational, disturbing and difficult to remember unless I write down what I remember as soon as I wake – which isn’t always advisable!

As for prophetic visions, except for the occasional feeling of deja vu, I can’t say I have experienced one. But that could not be said of the Apostle John! In Rev 1:9-20 John is recalling a spectacular vision he received while on the island of Patmos.

No island paradise

Patmos is known in the Greek-speaking world as “the Jerusalem of the Aegean.” In modern Greece it is rivalled only by Mount Athos as a centre of spirituality, pilgrimage and popular piety. One modem guide book describes Patmos as “arguably the most beautiful … of the smaller Dodecanese islands.”

For the tourist it is a quiet haven away from busier islands, but for the pilgrim this is the island of the Book of Revelation, rooted in biblical associations, but rich too in iconography and monastic architecture, noted for its library, and with interesting, early ecumenical associations.

In John’s time there were mountains and mines, and a Roman penal settlement, on Patmos. Think of Port Arthur (in Tasmania) in the early nineteenth century, or Robben Island, where the South African government imprisoned Nelson Mandela from 1964 to 1982. Patmos was probably a little like that.

But John is not a tourist, and he is not dwelling on his circumstances this Sunday morning, “the Lord’s Day” (v 10). For John, the day after the Jewish Sabbath was always the Lord’s Day – the Christian day for public worship, celebrating the resurrection of Jesus (cf Jn 20:19; Ac 20:7; 1 Cor 16:2).

John is “in the Spirit” (v 10) – in a trance, not invoked by evil practices but by his experience of worship in the presence of God. Perhaps it was something like what Peter felt at Joppa (Ac 10:10; 11:5), or Paul at Jerusalem (Ac 22:17; cf 2 Cor 12:24).

While he is in this spiritual state, John hears a compelling trumpet-like voice commanding him to write the book of Revelation and send it to seven churches.

The glory and majesty of Christ

For those of you who have seen The Fellowship of the Ring, the scene at the pool in Lothlorien, where Galadriel reveals her power and authority to Frodo, might capture something of this unmatched moment in John’s experience.

John turns slowly around to see what awesome creature is speaking (v 12a). What he sees is not reminiscent of words of the traditional children’s prayer, “Gentle Jesus, meek and mild.”

Nor is it the image of a humble Nazarene carpenter, or an itinerant Galilean street preacher, or even a kingly nobleman. John is so terrified at what he sees that he falls to the ground as though dead (v 17) – the only appropriate human response in the presence of deity.

This is not the fictional Lord of the Rings but the infinitely greater and holy and real Lord of the churches: the risen and exalted Lord Jesus Christ in all his unconcealed and unmediated glory (cf v 17).

I am sure it was difficult for John to put into words, but he describes the detail of what he sees using the narrative genre of apocalyptic to try to convey the awe and splendour and terror emanating from this majestic figure.

First, John sees not a person but “seven golden lampstands” (v 12b). A single seven-branched lampstand stood in the Holy Place in the temple in Jerusalem until it was destroyed in AD 70 (cf Ex 25:31-41). But verse 20 reveals that these seven lampstands symbolise the seven churches listed in verse 11.

Among these lampstands walks the person who is the source of the terrible voice, a vision of Jesus of such splendour and majesty that words almost fail John, and he takes some time to describe to us what he sees (vv 13b-16).

This is the Lord of the churches, walking among his churches, observing, examining, assessing, commending and judging.

The first thing John notices is the clothes. The long robe (v 13b) may symbolise royal status or priestly function – or perhaps, like Melchizedek, both.

The golden sash around his chest (v 13c), a normal men’s accessory in the ancient world, here represents strength, authority and majesty.

Then John sees the Lord’s hair, “white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire” (v 14).

The white hair may refer to purity or to the dignity of age (cf Dan 7:9); the blazing eyes flash with holy judgment on all unrighteousness in the church.

John continues: “His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters” (v 15). Do you get the feeling John is having difficulty describing what he sees?

The thought behind the glowing bronze feet is, I think, strength and stability. He is uncontaminated by any evil he finds among the churches, and ready to purge and refine the churches for his purpose (cf Heb 12:28f).

The voice, previously like a trumpet, is now reminiscent of the deafening roar of rushing waters (cf 19:6): the voice of God.

This reminds me of my visit to Niagara Falls in 1992: I have not forgotten my first glimpse of that magnificent sight, or the deafening roar of falling water blocking out all other sounds – yet stable, peaceful and very beautiful.

“In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword” (v 16a).

These stars, according to v 20, are the angels (or human leaders) assigned to the seven churches. They guard their churches, and their Lord holds them in the palm of his hand. He is sovereign and shepherd.

The sword, a common image in Scripture, represents power to judge by the word of God. The judgment about to be dispensed to these seven churches is irresistible in its power and perfect in its justice.

Light of the world

Finally, John writes, “His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance” (v 16b). Light is another common biblical image – in this case an image of the glory, purity, truth and blessing of God, or of God’s presence.

Here, judging by John’s choice of words, he seems to have witnessed as much as a human could see and live to tell the story.

Previously, John had declared that “God is light; in him there is no darkness at all” (1 Jn 1:5). Now he sees the literal truth of that statement.

Again John recalls, “When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead” (v 17a). But now Jesus reaches out and places his right hand on John, and says, ‘Do not be afraid” (v 17b). He offers his servant John strong assurance.

It is right to fear the Lord, to revere him: that is the beginning of wisdom (Prov 9:10a). But it is only enemies of Jesus who need to be afraid of him, to flee in terror from his presence.

Alpha and Omega

Then Jesus clearly declares who he is: “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” (vv 17c- 18a).

These titles and the statement identify the figure John sees with Jesus, and with God (cf Rev 2:8; 22:13; Isa 41:4; Mt 28:5-7; Heb 2:9; 7:16; Mt 16:18f etc).

Jesus Christ has won the decisive victory over sin, death and hell. No other person possesses such authority. Jesus is qualitatively greater than any rival.

Only Jesus can save humankind, turning our universal sentence of death to life, and the ugly certainty of endless torment in hell into a destiny of endless bliss in heaven.

Caesar may have banished John to Patmos because of his ministry of the word of God, and his testimony of Jesus (v 9).

But Jesus encourages (v 17) and commissions John (v 19) to serve him in important ways, even while he suffers exile on this insignificant and inhospitable island!

” Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later ” (v 19; cf 4:1).

This provides a key to understanding the whole book of Revelation: it contains teaching and prophecy relating to the present time, and to the future. We will see how this principle unfolds in chapters 2 and 3.

How would you respond?

As we look back over these amazing verses, let me ask you: How do you set apart each Sunday as the Lord’s Day? How would you respond to such a vision of Jesus – bodily, verbally?

What emotion do you feel when you realise that Jesus is actually walking through this church, observing, examining, assessing, commending and judging?

How does this realisation change your attitude to the people and ministries of our church? Is there any way in which Jesus is not Lord of our church? What difference does the statement in verse 18 make to your life? If Jesus were to reach out and touch you tonight, what would you want him to say to you?

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E120 Copyright (c) 2003 Rod Benson. Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible: New International Version (London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1980).

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