I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.
This is where we begin to get into the images that John saw while he was meditating. Popular belief is that John was in Patmos, in prison, meditating on the scriptures, when he was given this vision. The word Patmos means "my killing." It is associated with mortality, and this book of Revelation tells the tale of the end of this mortal age.
I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, 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 Lord's day" is interpretted in various ways by numerous people. I, however, believe that it is the Millenium where Christ reigns that is spoken of in the book of Revelation. The Lord's day is constantly referred to by the prophets as "in that day" (see Zechariah 2:11 for an example). Peter also tells us, "one day with the Lord is as a thousand years (2 Peter 3:8);" which in turn is a reference to Psalm 90:4: "for a thousand years in Thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past." Therefore, if one day is as a thousand years (a millenium), then the Lord's day is the Lord's Millenium.
God's voice sounding as a trumpet was first introduced in Exodus 19, when the children of Israel had come with Moses to the mountain of God, Sinai, "the bush of Jehovah." There God's voice sounded as a trumpet.
The seven churches are the churches of the whole earth because the Lord's gospel has spread to the whole earth. They are all encompassing of all who call themselves Christians, and here is what their names mean:
Ephesus - "those permitted"
Smyrna - "myrrh"
Pergamos - "elevated" - from the root "tower"
Thyatira - "odour of affliction"
Sardis - "red ones"
Philidelphia - "brotherly love"
Laodicea - "justice of the people"
And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; and in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
The seven golden candlesticks would be seven "menorah" similar to the one that was made for the tabernacle of the congregation - see Exodus 25:31-39. It is also refered to in Hebrew 9:2. Two of these candlesticks make a reappearance in Revelation 11:4. The candle here is not similar to what you and I would consider a "candle" (i.e. a wick surrounded in wax); rather, there is a wick that is partially emersed in olive oil that "wicks" the oil to the end of the candle, and the oil burns to give a flame. Light, in spiritual imagery, is truth; it is what allows you to see everything clearly. These candlesticks shine forth the truth, and it is Jesus that is that truth.
The garment to the foot and the golden girdle are a reference to the clothes that the high priest would wear - see Exodus 28 - but it is also a reference to Daniel 10:5 here: "Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz." Uphaz means "desired fine gold". The girdle covers the loins. In terms of spiritual armour, the girdle represents the truth (see Ephesians 6:14). And here, it covers the paps, which is the chest, which symbolizes that which God keeps close to His chest/heart: the truth.
However, there is something a bit deeper here. God keeps His elect - His very special people who include the prophets - in His belt/girt. A parable given in Ezekiel 5 shows that a small portion of hair was bound to Ezekiel's skirt. This is the elect, who would be tucked in the belt, and by extention, tucked away in the truth. So we have here two symbols of truth and two symbols for the elect in the candlesticks and the golden girdle.
His head and His hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and His eyes weree as a flame of fire; and His feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and His voice as the sound of many waters.
These different images are all from Daniel. The hair as white as wool is from Daniel 7:9. It symbolizes that Jesus is the Lamb of God. The eyes (a consuming fire; Deuteronomy 4:24), feet (the brass foot of the laver; Exodus 30:18) and voice (voice of many waters; Ezekiel 43:2) are all from Daniel 10:6. These two verses - Daniel 7:9 and 10:6 - show that the "One" that Daniel is seeing in both visions is the Ancient of days both times. The one thing to note is that in Revelation, Jesus has a voice "as the sound of many waters" whereas in Daniel, He has the voice "of a multitude". These both mean the same thing, in that the language of the Holy Spirit is understood in every human and angelic tongue there is. Revelation actually interprets this in Revelation 17:15, where it says, "The waters which thou sawest... are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues." So a voice of many waters is a voice that is understood in many languages, just as everyone understood the voice of the Spirit in the Pentacostal event of Acts 2.
And He had in His right hand seven stars: and out of His mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and His countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. And He laid His right hand upon me, saying unto me, "Fear not; I am the First and the Last: I am He That liveth, and was dead; and behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
The sword is the word of God. This can be seen in the gospel armour in Ephesian 6:17. Here it is coming directly out of the mouth of God. The brightness of His glory is compared to the sun; it is also compared to the sun in Malachi 4:2. Jesus also says the righteous will shine like the sun in Matthew 13:43.
John has the same reaction to the vision of this One as Daniel did when he had his vision in Daniel 10:9. Hebrews 10:31 says, "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." Prophets quite often fall on their faces when this happens (like Job, Isaiah, Ezekiel). I'm pretty sure I would too, if I had the strength even to do that.
Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter; the mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in My right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the seven angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.
Here, Jesus begins giving some translation to some of the spritual images. These translations can be used in other visions (similar to the "waters = peoples" translation). God is consistent - that's how you teach your children, by consistency - so the same message must hold true throughout His word. (That's oversimplifying spiritual imagery, but for the most part it is true.) Stars represent angels in spiritual visions (the name Lucifer, who also is an angel, actually means "light-bearer" or "morning star"). The candlestick represents the church that shines for the Spirit of God.
Awesome imagery. It connects the books of the former prophets (the former rain) to this last book of prophecy (the latter rain). Next we will get into some of the doctrine given in the next two chapters that is important for the end times. God bless.
