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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