Chapter # 1 Paragraph # 4 Study # 1
July 2, 2023
Broadlands, Louisiana
(Download Audio)
Thesis: The vision of the resurrected Christ is a presentation of the particular truths that are relevant to the believer's heart-focus as the last days approach.
Introduction: In our last study, we considered the focus upon John, the apostle who was chosen by God to write this last book in our Bible. We saw that his focus in his explanation of his circumstances when he was given the information that is contained in this last book. It was a focus upon what it had cost him to be a "brother" and "fellow-recipient" of the difficulties of life under constant persecution. This focus stands as a warning to The Church that God has called us to "Faith" in His Love even though His "Love" is being challenged on a regular basis by the circumstances to which believers are subjected.
In our study this evening we are going to do as John did, and "turn" our attention to the One being described as the subject of this revelation.
- I. The "Turning And Seeing" Of John.
- A. There is a redundancy in this "turning and seeing".
- 1. Initially John declared that "I turned (Aorist Indicative) to see (Present Infinitive)..."
- 2. Then, repeating these words, he said, "...having turned (Aorist Participle Nominative) I saw (Aorist Indicative)..."
- B. The reason for "turning to see".
- 1. His words are "the voice" (Accusative), but his meaning is "the speaker of the voice".
- a. This "voice" was "...that which was speaking (Imperfect Indicative of laleo).
- b. The use of laleo is a focus upon the sound of the voice, more than its content.
- 1) This "sound" had been startling: "great...as a trumpet".
- 2) He caught the content, but the issue is the loud, trumpet-like sound.
- 3) There are 44 uses of "phone" in this "Revelation"; the first three (1:10, 12, and 15) and the fifth (4:1) all refer to this initial "voice" (i.e., "speaker"). Nineteen of these 44 are characterized as "great/loud". There are 75 uses of "megas" in this Revelation, 19 of which are associated with this "voice/sound".
- 2. This is most natural; the loudness of the sound would automatically cause the normal person to turn around if it was coming from behind (1:10, "...I heard behind me...").
- a. This is an indication of a sudden "materialization": now you don't see me, now you do.
- b. John did not see this "sudden materialization", but turned and the person seen was there.
- 3. The point: a loud voice is intended to be heard and given attention.
- C. The "Seeing".
- 1. Began with "seven golden lampstands".
- 2. Then, in the midst of the lampstands, a likeness of a "son of man".
- a. He "had been clothed" (Perfect Passive Participle) to his feet.
- b. He "had been girded" (Perfect Passive Participle) at the breasts (Masculine, Plural, Dative) with a golden belt.
- 1) The "belt" is typically the part of the clothing that pulls the garment close to the body (Acts 21:11), more or less, at the waist. In Mark 1:6 it is made of leather, but it could be made of some other kind of material. That it is "golden", or "of gold", is likely a matter of color, though it could be some material with "gold" wires plaited into it. This imagery is only found in 1:13 (in this vision of Christ-characteristics) and 15:6 (where are seven angels who are to pour out seven bowls of plagues called "the wrath of God").
- a) There are 14 texts referring to things "of gold" in The Revelation.
- i. The first is in 1:12; the "golden" lampstands (also found in 1:20 and 2:1).
- ii. Then, in 1:13, we have this "belt" that is high up on the torso at the level of the "breasts".
- iii. Then there are multiple references to items made of gold (crowns, bowls, a censer, an altar, idols, a cup, and a measuring rod). All of these are related to "high monetary value" and sometimes related to "sovereign authority".
- b) There are two references to "breasts" (in the Authorized Version), with one of these two referring to "breasts" and one referring to "chest" (1:13 and 15:6 respectively, with the NASB using "chest" in 15:6). The "breasts" only show up in the New Testament in Luke 11:27; 23:29; and Revelation 1:13, with Luke's references both focused upon the breasts that nurse a baby. This imagery of a mother nursing her children is also found in 1 Thessalonians 2:7 with Paul identifying his behavior with such a mother. The idea of a "nursing mother" is more of the "tender care" activity early in the baby's life.
- c. His head and hair is then described as "bright" as "wool" and "snow": this is the absolute purity of His head (mind, thoughts, decisions, speech).
- d. Then his eyes appear "as a flame of fire": piercing insight, burning away the things that would prevent the "seeing" at its most profound level.
- e. His feet are like brass when it is burning with fire: the "feet" indicating judgment and the "brass" indicating a relationship to "Sin/sins".
- f. His voice is as the voice of many waters: the "many waters" in 17:15 are "peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues"...a vast hubbub of voices all talking at once and wanting to be heard.
- g. He has in his right hand seven stars.
- h. Out of his mouth proceeded a sharp, two-edged sword: the weapon against His adversaries as in 2:16; 19:15 and 21.
- i. His appearance was as the sun shining in its strength: the brilliant outshining of His glory.
