RevelationsChapter1BibleStudy

Thecontroversyovertheendtimespropheciesareendlessbutthefactremainsthetruthofit
allisinourbibles.JesusChristwassentbyGod,signifiedbyanangelandshownuntoJohn
(hisservant)whorecordedtheeventsandwordsofJesus.
TheRevelationofJesusChrist,whichGodgaveuntohim,toshowuntohisservants
thingswhichmustshortlycometopassandhesentandsignifieditbyhisangelunto
hisservantJohn:
Rev.1:1
WhobarerecordofthewordofGod,andofthetestimonyofJesusChrist,andofall
thingsthathesaw.Rev.1:2
Ablessingforthosewhoreadandhearthisprophecy
AspecialblessingisreservedforthosewhohearJohnsprophecyanddothethingswhichhe
wroteabout.
Blessedishethatreadeth,andtheythathearthewordsofthisprophecy,andkeep
thosethingswhicharewrittenthereinforthetimeisathand.Rev.1:3
Greetingstothesevenchurches
JohntothesevenchurcheswhichareinAsia:Gracebeuntoyou,andpeacefromhimwhich
is,andwhichwas,andwhichistocomeandfromthesevenSpiritswhicharebeforehis
throne.Rev.1:4
AndfromJesusChrist,whoisthefaithfulwitness,andthefirstbegottenofthedead,andthe
princeofthekingsoftheearth.Untohimthatlovedus,andwashedusfromoursinsinhis
ownblood,Rev.1:5
AndhathmadeuskingsandpriestsuntoGodandhisFather,tohimbegloryanddominion
foreverandever.Amen.Rev.1:6
Behold,hecomethwithcloudsandeveryeyeshallseehim,andtheyalsowhichpiercedhi:
andallkindredsoftheearthshallwailbecauseofhim.Evenso,Amen.Rev.1:7
IamAlphaandOmega,thebeginningandtheending,saiththeLord,whichisandwhichwas,
andwhichistocome,theAlmighty.Rev.1:8
Avisionofthesonofman
AfterJohngreetedthesevenchurchesheidentifiedhimselfasacompanionintribulation,as
oneofJesusChristsown,awaitingthereturnofChrist,andtheopportunitytogotothe
kingdomofheaven.JohnwasteachingattestifyingbygivinghistestimonyofJesusChrist.at
theisleofPatmosandwasfulloftheHolySpiritatthetimewhenhereceivedagreatvision
thatisoneofthekeystotheendtimeprophecythatJesustoldof.
IJohnwhoalsoamyourbrother,andcompanionintribulation,andinthekingdomand
patienceofJesusChrist,wasintheislethatiscalledPatmos,forthewordofGod,and
forthetestimonyofJesusChrist.Rev.1:9
IwasintheSpiritontheLordsdayandheardbehindmeagreatvoice,asofa
trumpet.Rev.1:10
Johninstructedtowriteabookandsendittothesevenchurches
Johnheardavoicetellinghim,IamAlphaandOmega,thefirst,andthelastwhichmeans
thatJesustoldJohnthattheLordisthebeginningandtheendoftheworld.Jesusalsotold

Johntowritedowneverythingthathewasabouttoseeinabookandsendittotheseven
churches.
Saying,IamAlphaandOmega,thefirstandthelast:and,Whatthouseest,writeina
book,andsendituntothesevenchurcheswhichareinAsiauntoEphemos,andunto
Thyatira,anduntoSardis,anduntoPhiladelphia,anduntoLaodicea.Rev.1:11
JohndescribestheSonofMan(JesusChrist)
WhenJohnturnedaroundtoseewherethevoicethatspoketohimwascomingfromhefirst
sawsevencandlestickswhichrepresentthesevenchurches.Inthemidstofthecandlesticks
hesawJesus.ThebibletellsusNomanhasseenGodandsomepeoplegetconfused
thinkingthatJohnissayingthathehadseenGod.However,JohndidnotseeGod,Johnwas
havingavisionwhileinthespiritwhichindicatesthatmuchofwhathedidseewassymbolic
whichisdemonstratedbythecomparisonofthesevengoldencandlesticksbeingtheseven
churches.
AndIturnedtoseethevoicethatspakewithme.Andbeingturned,Isawseven
goldencandlesticksRev.1:12
TheclothingJohnseenChristappearinwasalsosymbolic.Jesuswaswearingagarment
thatcoveredhimallthewaydowntohisfeetandhadagoldensasharoundHischest,much
likeakingwouldwear.InthetimeperiodwhenJohnwasontheearthmenworerobes,rich
menandmenofhighhonorlikekingsworelongrobes,whereas,workersworeshorterrobes,
primarilybecausefabricwasveryexpensiveandonlytheveryrichcouldaffordtowearthe
longerrobes.Menalsoworesasheswhichindicatedtheirsocialstatus.Thehigherthesash
andthetypeofmaterialitwasmadeofindicatedoneswealthandstatus,aswell.Themore
expensivematerialmeantthatthispersonwasofveryhighstatus.
AndinthemidstofthesevencandlesticksonelikeuntotheSonofmanclothedwitha
garmentdowntothefoot,andgirtaboutthepapswithagoldengirdle.Rev.1:13
JohndescribesJesusChrist
Hairlikewoolandwhiteassnow
JohndescribesJesusChristshairaswhitelikewoolbutalsoassnow.Thistypeofbright
whitetraditionallysymbolizespuritysoitstandstoreasonthathishairwasthistypeofwhite
becauseHehadnevercommittedasinsothereforeHewaspure.Refersto:"Thoughyour
sinsarelikescarlet,theyshallbeaswhiteassnowthoughtheyareredlikecrimson,they
shallbeaswool""Isa.1:18.DanielsdescriptionisveryclosetoJohns"Iwatchedtillthrones
wereputinplace,andtheAncientofDayswasseatedHisgarmentwaswhiteassnow,and
thehairofHisheadwaslikepurewool.Histhronewasafieryflame,itswheelsaburningfire"
Daniel7:9
Eyeslikeflameoffire
JohnalsodescribesChristseyesasflamesoffirewhichbearsastrikingresemblanceto
DanielsdescriptionofGodseyes."Iliftedmyeyesandlooked,andbehold,acertainman
clothedinlinen,whosewaistwasgirdedwithgoldofUphaz!Hisbodywaslikeberyl,hisface
liketheappearanceoflightning,hiseyesliketorchesoffire,hisarmsandfeetlikeburnished
bronzeincolor,andthesoundofhiswordslikethevoiceofamultitude"Daniel10:56His
headandhishairswerewhitelikewool,aswhiteassnowandhiseyeswereasaflameof
fireRev.1:14

Feetlikefinebrassburnedinafurnaceandavoicethatsoundslikemanywaters
Christsfeetwerelikebrassbecausetheyarecapableofstompingtheopposingforcesout.
ThelastpartofJohnsdescriptionwasthevoiceofJesus.Johndescribeditasthesoundof
manywaters.TwoothermentionsofthesoundofGodsvoice,alsodescribingitasthesound
ofmanywaters,arereferredtointheoldtestament."Whentheywent,Iheardthenoiseof
theirwings,likethenoiseofmanywaters,likethevoiceoftheAlmighty,atumultlikethe
noiseofanarmyandwhentheystoodstill,theyletdowntheirwings"Ezek.1:24
"Andbehold,thegloryoftheGodofIsraelcamefromthewayoftheeast.Hisvoicewaslike
thesoundofmanywatersandtheearthshonewithHisglory"Ezek.43:2
Andhisfeetlikeuntofinebrassasiftheyburnedinafurnaceandhisvoiceasthe
soundofmanywaters.Rev.1:15
SevenstarsinChristsrighthand
Thesevenstarsaretheangelsofthesevenchurchesrepresentedbythesevencandlesticks
describedearlierinthechapterandisrevealedinRev.1:20.
Andhehadinhisrighthandsevenstars:andoutofhismouthwentasharp
twoedgedsword:andhiscountenancewasasthesunshinethinhisstrength.Rev.
1:16
ItisinterestingtonotethatbothDanielandJohnbothfaintedafterseeingtheirvisionsofGod.

AndwhenIsawhim,Ifellathisfeetasdead.Andhelaidhisrighthanduponme,
sayinguntome,FearnotIamthefirstandthelast:Rev.1:17
Iamhethatliveth,andwasdeadand,behold,Iamaliveforevermore,Amenand
havethekeysofhellandofdeath.Rev.1:18

Writethethingswhichthouhastseen,andthethingswhichaare,andthethingswhichshall
behereafterRev.1:19
SevenAngelsandSevenChurches
Thesevenstarsarerepresentingsevenangelsandthesevengoldencandlesticksare
representingsevenchurches.
Themysteryofthesevenstarswhichthousawestinmyrighthand,andthesevengolden
candlesticks.Thesevenstarsaretheangelsofthesevenchurches:andtheseven
candlestickswhichthousawestarethesevenchurches.Rev.1:20

References.
Questionsandanswers.LaVistaChurchofChrist.http://lavistachurchofchrist.org/LVanswers/2009/0410.html