And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And having turned I saw seven candlesticks; and in the midst of the candlesticks one like unto a son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girl about at the breasts with a golden girdle. And his head and his hair were white as white wool, white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; and his feet like unto burnished brass, as if it had been refined in a furnace; and his voice as the voice of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth proceeded a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as one dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying, Fear not; I am the first and the last, and the Living one; and I was dead, and behold I am alive for evermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades. Write therefore the things which thou savest, and the things which are, and the things which shall come to pass hereafter; 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 are seven churches. Revelation 1:12–20

Read More Than Conquerors, pp. 70–73

F. THE VISION OF THE SON OF MAN, verses 12–16

At the sound of a trumpet, John, in the Spirit, sees seven lamp-pedestals, all of gold. These lampstands with their lighted lamps represent the seven churches mentioned in verse 11. They were standing in a circle. In their midst stood “One like the Son of Man,” Jesus Christ himself. It was comforting for the persecuted Church to know that their Lord and Savior had not forsaken them but was ever present in their very midst. Note the vivid description given in verses 13-16. Three things stand out;

1. The Lord’s transcendence or majesty. Note such features as “head and hair white as white wool, white as snow,” “garment down to the foot,” and belt of gold.

2. His terror. He has eyes “as a flame of fire,” “feet like unto burnished brass” (glowing like bright bronze), the voice “of many waters” and “the sharp two-edged sword proceeding from his mouth.”

Yet here is also:

3. His tenderness. In fact, in his right hand he protectingly holds the seven stars. His words, moreover, are altogether words of tender comfort and assurance: read especially verse 17 and 18.

Only one explanation is possible. It is an interpretation, moreover, which does justice to all three characteristics. transcendence, terror, and tenderness: this is the highly exalted Christ who from heaven and through his Spirit is present in his Church, tenderly guarding that Church and its pastors against the destructive purposes of every enemy. The terror is for the enemies (Satan and his helpers); the tenderness is for the Church; the transcendent majesty is for both. For the enemy this is a cause of fear; for the Church, of rejoicing.

G. THE EFFECT OF THIS VISION ON JOHN, AND CHRIST’S TENDER WORDS OF COMFORT AND INSTRUCTION verses 17–20

Visions of heavenly beings always fill the mind and heart of sinful man with fear. That is true even when the vision is that of a created angel (Matt. 28:8); how much more so when it is a vision of the Lord of glory (Is. 6:1–5; cf. John 12:41). Hence, we are not surprised to read, “And when I saw him I fell at his feet as one dead.” Wonderfully tender is Christ’s response to this fear and alarm on the part of John; “And he laid his right hand on me,” etc. In this connection a study of all the passages in Scripture in which the tenderness and uplifting love of God and of our Savior Jesus Christ are revealed is very rewarding. I am thinking of passages such as the following (please look them up and add to them): Psalm 23; Is. 40:11; 42:3; 63:8, 9; Matt. 5:3–5; 9:36-38; 14:16; 15:32; 19:13–15; Luke 8:54, 55.

When Jesus adds, “Fear not; I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive for evermore,” etc., he implies, “And because I live you, too, shall live.” By his own resurrection from the dead, Christ had demonstrated his power over death and over the realm of the dead. Hence, the Lord now commands that this comforting message shall be conveyed to the seven lampstands, that is, the seven churches, by means of their pastors, or ministers. It stands to reason that the contents of the book of Revelation—and particularly also the contents of the seven letters—would be conveyed first of all to the ministers in charge of these respective churches, and that these pastors, in turn, would take care that by means of the lectors the tidings of cheer and warning would be relayed to the congregations assembled for worship. “Is the enemy persecuting you bitterly?” says Christ as it were. “Remember, not death but life, life forevermore, is your final destiny. Hence, Fear not.”

                     

Questions

1. Who is meant by “the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up” (Is. 6:1. Cf. John 12:41)? By “the man clothed in linen” (Ezek. 9:2)? By “a Sou of Man” (Dan. 7:13,14)? By “a man riding upon a red horse, standing among the myrtle~trees” (Zech. 1:8)? By “the man riding upon a white horse” (Rev. 6:2)? By “the Rider on the white horse, that Rider, namely, who had a name of majesty written on his garment and thigh” (Rev. 19:11–16)? Do all these other visions help us in the explanation of the vision of Rev. 1?

2. Revelation speaks of “seven churches.” Is there one Church or are there seven churches? If your answer is, “Both are true,” then which, if either, of these two do you think should be stressed today?

3. What gives the churches their spiritual unity, according to the present vision? (Study carefully Rev. 1:12, 13 to answer this one.)

4. Is there any danger today that in the great stress which is being placed on unity we might be forgetting the autonomy of the local congregation? Or, the distinctiveness of the denomination? Can you point to any concrete facts that prove this danger? If you regard it as a peril, then what can we do about it?

5. On what should the chief emphasis be placed: the everpresent Christ or the second coming of Christ?

6. Why are the seven churches called lampstands (that is, light-bearers)?

7. How can your own local church increase its power as a true light-bearer?