John, praying in the Spirit, has been told to write to the seven churches in Asia Minor.
Revelation 1: 12-16, The speaker
I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands,
13 and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest.
14 The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire.
15 His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.
13 and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest.
14 The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire.
15 His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.
There are seven bright gold lampstands with the speaker among them.
What did the speaker look like? He is bright as the sun, with brilliant white hair, eyes of fire, feet glowing as in a furnace. The voice is that of a waterfall. He holds seven stars and his mouth is a sharp sword.
Why does he look like this? What do gold, wool, snow, fire, bronze, waters signify (if any)?
What did the speaker look like? He is bright as the sun, with brilliant white hair, eyes of fire, feet glowing as in a furnace. The voice is that of a waterfall. He holds seven stars and his mouth is a sharp sword.
Why does he look like this? What do gold, wool, snow, fire, bronze, waters signify (if any)?
Revelation 1: 17-20, The holder of the keys
When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last.
18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
19 “Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later.
20 The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
19 “Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later.
20 The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
John, naturally, collapses at the feet of this vision and is then reassured. The Alpha and Omega, the First and Last has conquered death and holds the keys of death and the grave.
The reason for this meeting is apparently so that John can write down (to these seven churches?) what "is now" and what "will take place", present and future.
In verse 20, the Greek word translated "angels" is literally "messengers". This term is used throughout the book and may not always mean a divine immortal being.
In the opening passage, the one that says he is the first and the last is identified as "the Lord God." Here the same claim is made by Jesus. All of John's writings, from his gospel to his letters to this book, all unapologetically identify Jesus as God.
The reason for this meeting is apparently so that John can write down (to these seven churches?) what "is now" and what "will take place", present and future.
In verse 20, the Greek word translated "angels" is literally "messengers". This term is used throughout the book and may not always mean a divine immortal being.
In the opening passage, the one that says he is the first and the last is identified as "the Lord God." Here the same claim is made by Jesus. All of John's writings, from his gospel to his letters to this book, all unapologetically identify Jesus as God.
Why the use of the number seven? (There are, in this chapter, seven churches/lampstands/angels. We will continue to see seven as a symbol throughout the book.)
Do churches have angels? What does that mean? (In John's day there would be a single congregation in Ephesus, so the "church in Ephesus" is presumably that single entity.)
Do churches have angels? What does that mean? (In John's day there would be a single congregation in Ephesus, so the "church in Ephesus" is presumably that single entity.)
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