REVELATION
SIMPLIFIED
CHAPTER 1.10
Gleanings
from the Book of Revelation:
A
Weekly Verse-by-Verse Bible Study Series
The
REVELATION
TO JOHN
(The
Apocalypse)
Chapter
One
(Verse 10)
I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day, and heard behind me a
great voice, as of a trumpet,
(Verse 11)
Saying, I am Alpha and Omega,
the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are
in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira,
and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.
The Apostle John, chosen to be an end-time prophet
by God, was in the realm of the Spirit on a day belonging to the Lord. He is then
given a prophetic vision of Jesus' present-day ministry. The drama at this point
grows tense with anticipation as he hears something unusual behind him.
And
(I) heard
behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet
Notice he did not hear a trumpet, but a great
voice as or like the
brilliance of a trumpet. In comparing the Lord’s voice to that of a trumpet,
John uses a simile – A figure of speech to make an emphatic comparison. Why a
trumpet?
Trumpets
Trumpets were an integral part of ancient culture.
Apart from being a musical instrument, trumpets were used under three
circumstances as an announcement:
1. To summon to worship
Numbers
1:1-3, 8-10 - And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Make thee two trumpets of silver…that
thou mayest use them for the calling of the
assembly, and
for the journeying of the camps…And when
they shall blow with them, all the assembly shall assemble themselves to thee
at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow with the trumpets; and they shall be to you for an ordinance for ever
throughout your generations. Also in the day of your gladness, and in your
solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, ye shall blow with the trumpets over your
burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to you for a memorial before your God: I am
the LORD your God.
2. To summon to battle
Numbers
10:9 - And if ye go to war in
your land against the enemy that oppresseth you, then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and ye shall be remembered before the LORD your God,
and ye shall be saved from your enemies.
Joshua
6:20 - So the
people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people
shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat.
3. To herald an important person or a spectacle
a. During the Roman Empire, a tubus (a six-foot
straight Roman tuba) or a cornu (Latin for horn, a forerunner to our French horn) was used when a
Roman general returned from a victorious military campaign, during the
commencement of a spectacle in the Coliseum, or the announcement of an emperor.
b. When God gave the Law to Moses on Mount Sinai
Exodus 19:16 - And it came to pass on the third day in the
morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the
mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled.
c. Special use for the trumpet was in heralding the
Year of the Jubilee:
Leviticus 25:8-10a - Count
off seven sabbath years—seven times seven years—so that the seven sabbath years
amount to a period of forty-nine years. Then have
the trumpet sounded everywhere on the tenth
day of the seventh month; on the Day of Atonement sound the trumpet throughout your land. Consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty
throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you. (NIV)
In Numbers 10, trumpets were smaller than the
Roman trumpets. The Israelites were instructed to make two trumpets out of
silver. According to historian Josephus, the silver was to be beaten into
lengths of eighteen inches. These were known as [chatsotsrah, or hasosera (H286)]
pronounced khats-o-user-aw'.
Unlike its brass
counterpart, the silver trumpet was notorious for its bright, shrill sound.
When played, two Levite priests would alternate, thus producing a continuous sound.
What John Hears
Significant to our
passage in describing the voice of Christ, John heard behind (him) a great voice, as of a
trumpet – not a trumpet - but like
the sound of a trumpet:
1. The same voice Moses heard when God gave him the
Law
2. The same voice that calls for the catching up of
the saints
3. The same voice that pronounces the final judgment
4. The same voice heralding the new Heaven and earth
Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and
the last.
Notice, the trumpet is saying (speaking), not resounding. So, there is no mistaken identity,
this great voice says to John:
I AM
I AM the Alpha
I AM the Omega
I AM the First
I AM the Last
Who is that?
The same Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the
ending (transcending all limitations) John writes about in Verse 8.
Who is that?
The same person speaking comes in the clouds
in Verse 7.
Who is that?
The same voice that promotes us to kings and
priests in Verse 6.
Who is that?
None other than Jesus Christ Himself from Verse 5.
Who is the Book of Revelation about?
Jesus
Christ, Verse 1.
John is told to write (John’s Commission)
At this point, the voice is still speaking to John
from behind.
What thou seest, (John) write in a book
(scroll), and send it unto the seven churches which are
in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira,
and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.
Paraphrased this way:
“John, write down everything I’m going to show
you,” Jesus instructs John. “They are to be sent to these seven churches which
are located in the Roman province of Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey).”
From Patmos, the closest main religious center was
Ephesus. Northward, the churches from Ephesus would then clockwise form an
ellipse. They are real churches (local assemblies) existing during this period.
However, they will become the embodiment, not only of the total church but of
future churches that will exist throughout church history. We will detail this
in Chapters 2 and 3. The aforementioned letters are thus to be disseminated:
1. The church in Ephesus
2. The church in Smyrna
3. The church at Pergamum
4. The church at Thyatira
5. The church at Sardis
6. The church in Philadelphia
7. The church in Laodicea
(Verse
12)
And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being
turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks (lampstands);
(Verse 13)
And in the midst of the
seven candlesticks one like
unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment (robe) down to the foot, and girt (wrapped
tightly) about the paps (chest, lit.
breasts) with a golden girdle (sash,
belt).
What John Sees
John turned to see the voice (the glory of God)
which had spoken to him, and as he turns in the direction of the voice, from
behind, the very first thing his eyes beheld (considered, perceived) was a
vision of seven churches [i.e., the Church in its perfect state] represented by
seven golden candlesticks [Literal Greek translation: Lampstands; λυχνία, luchnia. (Strong’s, G3087)].
1. The Voice –
John turned to see
the voice - (a metonymy: a
figure of speech by association). John did not see a voice, but what he saw was
the glory of God. The prophet Ezekiel experienced the same thing:
Ezekiel
1:28b - This was the appearance of the likeness of
the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it,
I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of
One that spake.
2. Lampstands
- What are they? Look at verse 20. The Bible will clarify
the meaning, so there is no mystery.
Revelation
1:20b - The
seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the
seven churches.
There are seven separate lampstands (the kind in
which oil is used) representing the seven churches that will be the recipients
of seven letters.
What is the purpose of a lampstand? - To emanate
light.
Light
Jesus said, ‘I am the light of the world (cf. John
8:12; 9:5; 12:46) (and when I leave), you are to be a light in the world (cf. Acts
13:47; Romans 2:19; Ephesians 3:9; 5:8; 1 Thessalonians 5:5).’ Hence, the
function of the church (a lampstand) is to radiate the light of God to a world
that is in darkness.
Seven golden lampstands, unlike the menorah, * are individually separate. They are
the embodiment of the church. This will become clearer when we study the Seven
Churches in depth.
* A seven-light [six branches] candelabrum used in
the Tabernacle and Temple. The making of the menorah, described by Moses, is
detailed in Exodus 25:31-40.
Question:
Why are there only seven lampstands?
Answer:
Seven is God’s number for completeness, therefore
the total church is represented.
Question:
Why Gold?
Answer:
The candlestick Moses was instructed to fashion
for the Tabernacle (cf. Exodus 25:31) was of pure gold, the most precious
metal.
Question:
Where is Christ?
Answer:
Revelation
1: 13 - And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man.
Revelation
2:1b - (Jesus) who walketh in the
midst of the seven golden candlesticks.
Jesus is walking among the seven lampstands.
Question:
What is His mission?
Answer:
Figuratively speaking, He is maintaining them by
pouring in oil and trimming wicks: Permitting the church lights to shine brighter and preventing them from burning out.
Oil
Olive trees*
(a study in and of its own) took a lot of care and a long time to grow, lasting
hundreds of years. Its fruit - the olive - was then pressed to produce olive
oil.
1. Oil was used for the lamp’s fuel.
2. Oil is one symbol of the Holy Spirit.
3. Oil was used for consecrating priests
4. Oil was used for anointing
5. Oil was used as a cleansing agent
6. Oil was used as a commodity
7. Oil was used for healing
*The olive tree represents the Spiritual
Commonwealth of Israel [Visit: http://www.levitt.com/essays/olivetree ]. Romans 11 explains how the church is grafted into
the tree.
In the New Testament economy, the church is made
up of both Jews first and then Gentiles. Seven lampstands comprise the total church,
assigned to shine forth the Gospel as a light to the world.
Jesus is the head of the church interceding on our
behalf. And we are being ministered to and guided by Him as our High Priest.
Jesus said, Matthew 16:18 - I will build My
church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Therefore, our light is destined to shine forever.
A vision of Jesus Christ is seen and discussed by
John in the next lesson.
QUESTIONS:
1. How many times did John hear the voice of Christ?
2. What are candlesticks?
3. What is the significance of a trumpet?
4. Why was oil used?
5. Where and what is Jesus doing?
6. What was John told to do?
7. Why are there seven churches?
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