Rev 1:9 I, John, with you all the way in the trial and the Kingdom and the passion of patience in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of God's Word, the witness of Jesus.
Rev 1:10 It was Sunday and I was in the Spirit, praying. I heard a loud voice behind me, trumpet-clear and piercing:
Rev 1:11 "Write what you see into a book. Send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea."
Rev 1:12 I turned and saw the voice. I saw a gold menorah with seven branches,
Rev 1:13 And in the center, the Son of Man, in a robe and gold breastplate,
Rev 1:14 hair a blizzard of white, Eyes pouring fire-blaze,
Rev 1:15 both feet furnace-fired bronze, His voice a cataract,
Rev 1:16 right hand holding the Seven Stars, His mouth a sharp-biting sword, his face a perigee sun.
Rev 1:17 I saw this and fainted dead at his feet. His right hand pulled me upright, his voice reassured me: "Don't fear: I am First, I am Last,
Rev 1:18 I'm Alive. I died, but I came to life, and my life is now forever. See these keys in my hand? They open and lock Death's doors, they open and lock Hell's gates.
Rev 1:19 Now write down everything you see: things that are, things about to be.
Rev 1:20 The Seven Stars you saw in my right hand and the seven-branched gold menorah--do you want to know what's behind them? The Seven Stars are the Angels of the seven churches; the menorah's seven branches are the seven churches."
Revelation 1:9-20
We are introduced to a vision of the Saviour, in that light in which He is peculiarly presented to us in the Apocalypse—
the Head of His Church, the great High Priest and King of His people. From Him the Seer receives the commission to deliver His message to the Church.
Revelation 1:17-18
The effect of the vision upon the Seer is now described. I fell, he says, at His feet as dead (cp. Exo_33:20; Isa_6:5; Eze_1:28; Dan_8:17; Dan_10:7-8; Luke_5:8).
The effect upon the present occasion is, however, greater than on any of those referred to in these other passages. It corresponds to the greater glory that has been witnessed.
But St. John is immediately restored both by act and word. For the act op. Dan_8:18; Dan_10:10; Dan_10:18; for the word, Matt_14:27; Luke_5:10; Luke_12:32; John_6:20; John_12:15. The right hand is the all-powerful hand in which the churches are held (Rev_1:16); and no doubt the Seer is at the same time set upon his feet (cp. Eze_1:28, Eze_2:1-2).
But this was not all. The Redeemer further reveals Himself as the Lord who through humiliation and death had attained to glory and victory. In the words in which He does so, reaching to the end of Rev_1:18, it seems to be generally allowed that we have three clauses, but commentators differ as to their arrangement. Without discussing the opinions of other., it may be enough to say that the best distribution appears to be as follows:—
(1) I am the first and the last and the Living One;
(2) and I became dead, and behold, I am alive for evermore;
(3) and I have the keys of death and of Hades.
(1) I am the first and the last (cp. Rev_1:8, Rev_2:8, Rev_22:13). It is the Divine attribute of eternal and unchangeable existence that is spoken of; not I am the first in glory, the last in humiliation, but
I am the One preceding all, embracing all, by whom all things were made, in whom all things consist, the same yesterday, today, and for ever (cp. Isa_41:4; Isa_44:6; Isa_48:12), and the Living One. He is not merely alive, but He has life in Himself, self-possessed, absolute life (John_1:4; John_5:26). Thus in these epithets we have the Divine, eternal pre-existence of the Son, what He was before the Eternal
‘Word became flesh, and tabernacled among us.’
(2) I became dead. The Divine Son emptied Himself of His glory, and stooped as man to death itself. All this is included in ‘became.’
And behold, I am alive for evermore, words which ought not to be separated from those immediately preceding them; for, according to the conception of St. John, the Resurrection and Glorification of our Lord are to be taken along with His humiliation as parts of one great whole (cp. note on John 20 under Contents). We are thus carried a step further forward than in the previous part of our Lord’s declaration of Himself.
(3) and I have the keys of death and of Hades. The two words ‘death’ and ‘Hades’ are combined, as in chap. Rev_20:13-14, and both are conceived of as a fortress or place of imprisonment. Hence the figure of the ‘keys’ (Isa_38:10; Mat_16:18; cp. also chap. Rev_9:1, Rev_20:1). Neither ‘death’ nor ‘Hades’ is to be understood in a neutral sense. The one is not simply death, but death as a terrible power from which the righteous have escaped; the other is a region peopled, not by both the righteous and the wicked, but by those alone who have not conquered death. Both words thus describe the condition of all who are out of Christ, and are not partakers of His victory. Yet, however they may be opposed to Him, He has the keys of the prison within which they are confined; He can Keep them there, or He can deliver them at His will. The third part of the declaration thus carries us further than the second, and introduces us to the thought of Christ’s everlasting and glorious rule as King in Zion. All the three parts appropriately follow the words ‘Fear not.’ They tell of the Divine pre-existence of the Son; of death endured but conquered in His Resurrection; of irresistible power now exercised over His and the Church’s enemies. They are thus supplementary to the description which had been given of the Son of man in Rev_1:13-16, and they include a revelation of the fact that He who is judgement to His enemies is mercy to His own.
Revelation 1:9-20 (Mathew Henry)
We have now come to that glorious vision which the apostle had of the Lord Jesus Christ, when he came to deliver this revelation to him, where observe,
I. The account given of the person who was favoured with this vision. He describes himself,
1. By his present state and condition. He was the brother and companion of these churches in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Christ. He was, at their time, as the rest of true Christians were, a persecuted man, banished, and perhaps imprisoned, for his adherence to Christ. He was their brother, though an apostle; he seems to value himself upon his relation to the church, rather than his authority in it: Judas Iscariot may be an apostle, but not a brother in the family of God. He was their companion: the children of God should choose communion and society with each other. He was their companion in tribulation: the persecuted servants of God did not suffer alone, the same trials are accomplished in others. He was their companion in patience, not only a sharer with them in suffering circumstances, but in suffering graces: if we have the patience of the saints, we should not grudge to meet with their trials. He was their brother and companion in the patience of the kingdom of Christ, a sufferer for Christ's cause, for asserting his kingly power over the church and the world, and for adhering to it against all who would usurp upon it. By this account he gives of his present state, he acknowledges his engagements to sympathize with them, and to endeavour to give them counsel and comfort, and bespeaks their more careful attention to what he had to say to them from Christ their common Lord.
2. By the place where he was when he was favoured with this vision: he was in the isle Patmos. He does not say who banished him thither. It becomes Christians to speak sparingly and modestly of their own sufferings. Patmos is said to be an island in the Aegean Sea, One of those called Cyclades, and was about thirty-five miles in compass; but under this confinement it was the apostle's comfort that he did not suffer as an evil-doer, but that it was for the testimony of Jesus, for bearing witness to Christ as the Immanuel, the Saviour. This was a cause worth suffering for; and the Spirit of glory and of God rested upon this persecuted apostle.
3. The day and time in which he had this vision: it was the Lord's day, the day which Christ had separated and set apart for Himself, as the eucharist is called the Lord's supper. Surely this can be no other than the Christian sabbath, the first day of the week, to be observed in remembrance of the resurrection of Christ. Let us who call Him our Lord honour Him on His own day, the day which the Lord hath made and in which we ought to rejoice.
4. The frame that his soul was in at this time: He was in the Spirit. He was not only in a rapture when he received the vision, but before he received it; he was in a serious, heavenly, spiritual frame, under the blessed gracious influences of the Spirit of God. God usually prepares the souls of his people for uncommon manifestations of himself, by the quickening sanctifying influences of his good Spirit. Those who would enjoy communion with God on the Lord's day must endeavour to abstract their thoughts and affections from flesh and fleshly things, and be wholly taken up with things of a spiritual nature.
II. The apostle gives an account of what he heard when thus in the Spirit. An alarm was given as with the sound of a trumpet, and then he heard a voice, the voice of Christ applying to himself the character before given, the first and the last, and commanding the apostle to commit to writing the things that were now to be revealed to him, and to send it immediately to the seven Asian churches, whose names are mentioned. Thus our Lord Jesus, the captain of our salvation, gave the apostle notice of His glorious appearance, as with the sound of a trumpet.
III. We have also an account of what he saw. He turned to see the voice, whose it was and whence it came; and then a wonderful scene of vision opened itself to him.
1. He saw a representation of the church under the emblem of seven golden candlesticks, as it is explained in the last verse of the chapter. The churches are compared to candlesticks, because they hold forth the light of the gospel to advantage. The churches are not candles: Christ only is our light, and his gospel our lamp; but they receive their light from Christ and the gospel, and hold it forth to others. They are golden candlesticks, for they should be precious and pure, comparable to fine gold; not only the ministers, but the members of the churches ought to be such; their light should so shine before men as to engage others to give glory to God.
2. He saw a representation of the Lord Jesus Christ in the midst of the golden candlesticks; for He has promised to be with His churches always to the end of the world, filling them with light, and life, and love, for He is the very animating informing soul of the church. And here we observe,
(1.) The glorious form in which Christ appeared in several particulars.
[1.] He was clothed with a garment down to the foot, a princely and priestly robe, denoting righteousness and honour.
[2.] He was girt about with a golden girdle, the breast-plate of the high priest, on which the names of His people are engraven; he was ready girt to do all the work of a Redeemer.
[3.] His head and hairs were white like wool or snow. He was the Ancient of days; his hoary head was no sign of decay, but was indeed a crown of glory.
[4.] His eyes were as a flame of fire, piercing and penetrating into the very hearts and reins of men, scattering terrors among his adversaries.
[5.] His feet were like unto fine burning brass, strong and steadfast, supporting his own interest, subduing his enemies, treading them to powder.
[6.] His voice was as the sound of many waters, of many rivers falling in together. He can and will make himself heard to those who are afar off as well as to those who are near. His gospel is a profluent and mighty stream, fed by the upper springs of infinite wisdom and knowledge.
[7.] He had in his right hand seven stars, that is, the ministers of the seven churches, who are under his direction, have all their light and influence from him, and are secured and preserved by him.
[8.] Out of his mouth went a two-edged sword, His word, which both wounds and heals, strikes at sin on the right hand and on the left,
[9.] His countenance was as the sun shining, its strength too bright and dazzling for mortal eyes to behold.
(2.) The impression this appearance of Christ made upon the apostle John (Rev_1:17): He fell at the feet of Christ as dead; he was overpowered with the greatness of the lustre and glory in which Christ appeared, though he had been so familiar with him before. How well is it for us that God speaks to us by men like ourselves, whose terrors shall not make us afraid, for none can see the face of God and live!
(3.) The condescending goodness of the Lord Jesus to His disciple: He laid his hand upon Him, Rev_1:17. He raised him up; he did not plead against him with His great power, but he put strength into him, He spoke kind words to him.
[1.] Words of comfort and encouragement: Fear not. He commanded away the slavish fears of His disciple.
[2.] Words of instruction, telling him particularly who He was that thus appeared to him. And here He acquaints him,
First, with His divine nature: The first and the last.
Secondly, With his former sufferings: I was dead; the very same that His disciples saw upon the cross dying for the sins of men.
Thirdly, With his resurrection and life: “I live, and am alive for evermore, have conquered death and opened the grave, and am partaker of an endless life.”
Fourthly, With His office and authority: I have the keys of hell and of death, a sovereign dominion in and over the invisible world, opening and none can shut, shutting so that none can open, opening the gates of death when he pleases and the gates of the eternal world, of happiness or misery, as the Judge of all, from whose sentence there lies no appeal.
Fifthly, With His will and pleasure: Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and which shall be hereafter.
Sixthly, With the meaning of the seven stars, that they are the ministers of the churches; and of the seven candlesticks, that they are the seven churches, to whom Christ would now send by him particular and proper messages.
Rev 1:10 It was Sunday and I was in the Spirit, praying. I heard a loud voice behind me, trumpet-clear and piercing:
Rev 1:11 "Write what you see into a book. Send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea."
Rev 1:12 I turned and saw the voice. I saw a gold menorah with seven branches,
Rev 1:13 And in the center, the Son of Man, in a robe and gold breastplate,
Rev 1:14 hair a blizzard of white, Eyes pouring fire-blaze,
Rev 1:15 both feet furnace-fired bronze, His voice a cataract,
Rev 1:16 right hand holding the Seven Stars, His mouth a sharp-biting sword, his face a perigee sun.
Rev 1:17 I saw this and fainted dead at his feet. His right hand pulled me upright, his voice reassured me: "Don't fear: I am First, I am Last,
Rev 1:18 I'm Alive. I died, but I came to life, and my life is now forever. See these keys in my hand? They open and lock Death's doors, they open and lock Hell's gates.
Rev 1:19 Now write down everything you see: things that are, things about to be.
Rev 1:20 The Seven Stars you saw in my right hand and the seven-branched gold menorah--do you want to know what's behind them? The Seven Stars are the Angels of the seven churches; the menorah's seven branches are the seven churches."
Revelation 1:9-20
We are introduced to a vision of the Saviour, in that light in which He is peculiarly presented to us in the Apocalypse—
the Head of His Church, the great High Priest and King of His people. From Him the Seer receives the commission to deliver His message to the Church.
Revelation 1:17-18
The effect of the vision upon the Seer is now described. I fell, he says, at His feet as dead (cp. Exo_33:20; Isa_6:5; Eze_1:28; Dan_8:17; Dan_10:7-8; Luke_5:8).
The effect upon the present occasion is, however, greater than on any of those referred to in these other passages. It corresponds to the greater glory that has been witnessed.
But St. John is immediately restored both by act and word. For the act op. Dan_8:18; Dan_10:10; Dan_10:18; for the word, Matt_14:27; Luke_5:10; Luke_12:32; John_6:20; John_12:15. The right hand is the all-powerful hand in which the churches are held (Rev_1:16); and no doubt the Seer is at the same time set upon his feet (cp. Eze_1:28, Eze_2:1-2).
But this was not all. The Redeemer further reveals Himself as the Lord who through humiliation and death had attained to glory and victory. In the words in which He does so, reaching to the end of Rev_1:18, it seems to be generally allowed that we have three clauses, but commentators differ as to their arrangement. Without discussing the opinions of other., it may be enough to say that the best distribution appears to be as follows:—
(1) I am the first and the last and the Living One;
(2) and I became dead, and behold, I am alive for evermore;
(3) and I have the keys of death and of Hades.
(1) I am the first and the last (cp. Rev_1:8, Rev_2:8, Rev_22:13). It is the Divine attribute of eternal and unchangeable existence that is spoken of; not I am the first in glory, the last in humiliation, but
I am the One preceding all, embracing all, by whom all things were made, in whom all things consist, the same yesterday, today, and for ever (cp. Isa_41:4; Isa_44:6; Isa_48:12), and the Living One. He is not merely alive, but He has life in Himself, self-possessed, absolute life (John_1:4; John_5:26). Thus in these epithets we have the Divine, eternal pre-existence of the Son, what He was before the Eternal
‘Word became flesh, and tabernacled among us.’
(2) I became dead. The Divine Son emptied Himself of His glory, and stooped as man to death itself. All this is included in ‘became.’
And behold, I am alive for evermore, words which ought not to be separated from those immediately preceding them; for, according to the conception of St. John, the Resurrection and Glorification of our Lord are to be taken along with His humiliation as parts of one great whole (cp. note on John 20 under Contents). We are thus carried a step further forward than in the previous part of our Lord’s declaration of Himself.
(3) and I have the keys of death and of Hades. The two words ‘death’ and ‘Hades’ are combined, as in chap. Rev_20:13-14, and both are conceived of as a fortress or place of imprisonment. Hence the figure of the ‘keys’ (Isa_38:10; Mat_16:18; cp. also chap. Rev_9:1, Rev_20:1). Neither ‘death’ nor ‘Hades’ is to be understood in a neutral sense. The one is not simply death, but death as a terrible power from which the righteous have escaped; the other is a region peopled, not by both the righteous and the wicked, but by those alone who have not conquered death. Both words thus describe the condition of all who are out of Christ, and are not partakers of His victory. Yet, however they may be opposed to Him, He has the keys of the prison within which they are confined; He can Keep them there, or He can deliver them at His will. The third part of the declaration thus carries us further than the second, and introduces us to the thought of Christ’s everlasting and glorious rule as King in Zion. All the three parts appropriately follow the words ‘Fear not.’ They tell of the Divine pre-existence of the Son; of death endured but conquered in His Resurrection; of irresistible power now exercised over His and the Church’s enemies. They are thus supplementary to the description which had been given of the Son of man in Rev_1:13-16, and they include a revelation of the fact that He who is judgement to His enemies is mercy to His own.
Revelation 1:9-20 (Mathew Henry)
We have now come to that glorious vision which the apostle had of the Lord Jesus Christ, when he came to deliver this revelation to him, where observe,
I. The account given of the person who was favoured with this vision. He describes himself,
1. By his present state and condition. He was the brother and companion of these churches in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Christ. He was, at their time, as the rest of true Christians were, a persecuted man, banished, and perhaps imprisoned, for his adherence to Christ. He was their brother, though an apostle; he seems to value himself upon his relation to the church, rather than his authority in it: Judas Iscariot may be an apostle, but not a brother in the family of God. He was their companion: the children of God should choose communion and society with each other. He was their companion in tribulation: the persecuted servants of God did not suffer alone, the same trials are accomplished in others. He was their companion in patience, not only a sharer with them in suffering circumstances, but in suffering graces: if we have the patience of the saints, we should not grudge to meet with their trials. He was their brother and companion in the patience of the kingdom of Christ, a sufferer for Christ's cause, for asserting his kingly power over the church and the world, and for adhering to it against all who would usurp upon it. By this account he gives of his present state, he acknowledges his engagements to sympathize with them, and to endeavour to give them counsel and comfort, and bespeaks their more careful attention to what he had to say to them from Christ their common Lord.
2. By the place where he was when he was favoured with this vision: he was in the isle Patmos. He does not say who banished him thither. It becomes Christians to speak sparingly and modestly of their own sufferings. Patmos is said to be an island in the Aegean Sea, One of those called Cyclades, and was about thirty-five miles in compass; but under this confinement it was the apostle's comfort that he did not suffer as an evil-doer, but that it was for the testimony of Jesus, for bearing witness to Christ as the Immanuel, the Saviour. This was a cause worth suffering for; and the Spirit of glory and of God rested upon this persecuted apostle.
3. The day and time in which he had this vision: it was the Lord's day, the day which Christ had separated and set apart for Himself, as the eucharist is called the Lord's supper. Surely this can be no other than the Christian sabbath, the first day of the week, to be observed in remembrance of the resurrection of Christ. Let us who call Him our Lord honour Him on His own day, the day which the Lord hath made and in which we ought to rejoice.
4. The frame that his soul was in at this time: He was in the Spirit. He was not only in a rapture when he received the vision, but before he received it; he was in a serious, heavenly, spiritual frame, under the blessed gracious influences of the Spirit of God. God usually prepares the souls of his people for uncommon manifestations of himself, by the quickening sanctifying influences of his good Spirit. Those who would enjoy communion with God on the Lord's day must endeavour to abstract their thoughts and affections from flesh and fleshly things, and be wholly taken up with things of a spiritual nature.
II. The apostle gives an account of what he heard when thus in the Spirit. An alarm was given as with the sound of a trumpet, and then he heard a voice, the voice of Christ applying to himself the character before given, the first and the last, and commanding the apostle to commit to writing the things that were now to be revealed to him, and to send it immediately to the seven Asian churches, whose names are mentioned. Thus our Lord Jesus, the captain of our salvation, gave the apostle notice of His glorious appearance, as with the sound of a trumpet.
III. We have also an account of what he saw. He turned to see the voice, whose it was and whence it came; and then a wonderful scene of vision opened itself to him.
1. He saw a representation of the church under the emblem of seven golden candlesticks, as it is explained in the last verse of the chapter. The churches are compared to candlesticks, because they hold forth the light of the gospel to advantage. The churches are not candles: Christ only is our light, and his gospel our lamp; but they receive their light from Christ and the gospel, and hold it forth to others. They are golden candlesticks, for they should be precious and pure, comparable to fine gold; not only the ministers, but the members of the churches ought to be such; their light should so shine before men as to engage others to give glory to God.
2. He saw a representation of the Lord Jesus Christ in the midst of the golden candlesticks; for He has promised to be with His churches always to the end of the world, filling them with light, and life, and love, for He is the very animating informing soul of the church. And here we observe,
(1.) The glorious form in which Christ appeared in several particulars.
[1.] He was clothed with a garment down to the foot, a princely and priestly robe, denoting righteousness and honour.
[2.] He was girt about with a golden girdle, the breast-plate of the high priest, on which the names of His people are engraven; he was ready girt to do all the work of a Redeemer.
[3.] His head and hairs were white like wool or snow. He was the Ancient of days; his hoary head was no sign of decay, but was indeed a crown of glory.
[4.] His eyes were as a flame of fire, piercing and penetrating into the very hearts and reins of men, scattering terrors among his adversaries.
[5.] His feet were like unto fine burning brass, strong and steadfast, supporting his own interest, subduing his enemies, treading them to powder.
[6.] His voice was as the sound of many waters, of many rivers falling in together. He can and will make himself heard to those who are afar off as well as to those who are near. His gospel is a profluent and mighty stream, fed by the upper springs of infinite wisdom and knowledge.
[7.] He had in his right hand seven stars, that is, the ministers of the seven churches, who are under his direction, have all their light and influence from him, and are secured and preserved by him.
[8.] Out of his mouth went a two-edged sword, His word, which both wounds and heals, strikes at sin on the right hand and on the left,
[9.] His countenance was as the sun shining, its strength too bright and dazzling for mortal eyes to behold.
(2.) The impression this appearance of Christ made upon the apostle John (Rev_1:17): He fell at the feet of Christ as dead; he was overpowered with the greatness of the lustre and glory in which Christ appeared, though he had been so familiar with him before. How well is it for us that God speaks to us by men like ourselves, whose terrors shall not make us afraid, for none can see the face of God and live!
(3.) The condescending goodness of the Lord Jesus to His disciple: He laid his hand upon Him, Rev_1:17. He raised him up; he did not plead against him with His great power, but he put strength into him, He spoke kind words to him.
[1.] Words of comfort and encouragement: Fear not. He commanded away the slavish fears of His disciple.
[2.] Words of instruction, telling him particularly who He was that thus appeared to him. And here He acquaints him,
First, with His divine nature: The first and the last.
Secondly, With his former sufferings: I was dead; the very same that His disciples saw upon the cross dying for the sins of men.
Thirdly, With his resurrection and life: “I live, and am alive for evermore, have conquered death and opened the grave, and am partaker of an endless life.”
Fourthly, With His office and authority: I have the keys of hell and of death, a sovereign dominion in and over the invisible world, opening and none can shut, shutting so that none can open, opening the gates of death when he pleases and the gates of the eternal world, of happiness or misery, as the Judge of all, from whose sentence there lies no appeal.
Fifthly, With His will and pleasure: Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and which shall be hereafter.
Sixthly, With the meaning of the seven stars, that they are the ministers of the churches; and of the seven candlesticks, that they are the seven churches, to whom Christ would now send by him particular and proper messages.
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