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Commentary on Revelation 1 verses 9–20
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 stedfast, 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.
Write therefore the things which you have seen, etc. Make known to all the things you alone have seen, namely, the various labors of the Church, and the wicked mixed with the good in it, until the end of the world.
Write therefore the things which thou hast seen, and which are, and which must be done hereafter. It passes from genus to species, for here John represents the preachers specifically. Note also that he repeats things he had already said, so that the fault of sluggishness should be put away. Write therefore, he says, the things which thou hast seen, as if he were saying “the things foretold concerning me in the law and the prophets,” “and which are — namely the things fulfilled by me — and which must be done hereafter — that is the things that are to be fulfilled among my limbs.” But we should now close this book in its due end, so that we not get tired in the flat of plains before we come to climb the mountains of this Apocalypse. As we have already said in the previous book, some affirm that this vision is a spiritual one, while others affirm it is an intellectual one. If it is an intellectual one, it is not in his own person, but in that of others that he learns. If, on the other hand, it is a spiritual one, he says in some places how he received understanding of the vision, and keeps silent about it in other places. This he of course does with the right moderation, because if the vision were made altogether clear, it would lose its worth, and if it remained completely obscure, it would be despised.
It is customary for the holy prophets to see a vision and be struck with awe, revealing human weakness; and how much the divine surpasses the human and excels it with incomparable differences. This we also know from Joshua the son of Nave, when he saw the chief commander of the Lord's army (Jos. 1:9), and Daniel the man of desires in the visions that appeared to him. (Dan. 10:11; 8:17)
"I," therefore, "fell at his feet as though dead," says the evangelist, struck with awe at the vision.
"And he placed his right hand upon me, saying, 'Do not be afraid.'" The holy John could not have survived the terror if he had not leaned upon the saving right hand of the Son of God, which alone worked the greatest wonders by touch; and he says to me,
"I am the first and the last." Thus he spoke: "I am the one who, at the end of the ages, came to dwell with you in the flesh for the salvation of all of you, I am the first and the firstborn of all creation (Col. 1:15). How then could it be possible for you to suffer any harm from my presence?" For if, being alive and the source of life, I became dead for your sake and again came to life after having trampled down death, how is it possible for you, who are alive through me and through my vision, to become dead?
If "I" too "hold the keys to death and Hades," so that I may kill or bring to life whomever I wish, leading them down to Hades and raising them up according to what is written about me, and as the prophet says, the pathways of death belong to me (Prov. 12:28), I would not send my worshippers and disciples prematurely to death. Since he will not die, he says:
"Write, then, what you have seen and what is, and what will happen afterward." In speaking of what is, he reveals both what has passed and what is present; and in speaking of what is about to happen, he reveals the future. For among the things seen in the holy vision, some were already accomplished, although they had reached their limit, they had not ceased to exist; therefore, concerning these things, he spoke of "what is," meaning what was present. As for "what will happen," the word would show it as it unfolded.
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SUMMARY
Revelation 1:19 serves as the divine blueprint for the entire Book of Revelation, a direct command from the glorified Christ to John, instructing him to record three distinct categories of prophetic truth: the things John has already witnessed, the present realities of the churches, and the future events that are yet to unfold. This verse provides the essential interpretive key, revealing the structural organization and chronological progression of the apocalyptic visions and messages contained within the book.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Revelation 1:19 follows immediately after John's profound and awe-inspiring vision of the resurrected and glorified Jesus Christ in Revelation 1:12-18. Having been overwhelmed by this divine encounter, John is now given a specific, authoritative mandate directly from the Lord. This verse acts as a pivotal transition, moving from the initial revelatory experience to the systematic recording of the prophecy. It sets the stage for the subsequent messages to the seven churches in Revelation 2-3 and the unfolding of future events from Revelation 4 onwards, establishing a clear divine framework for the entire book.
Historical & Cultural Context: The Book of Revelation was written during a period of intense Roman persecution under Emperor Domitian, likely around A.D. 95. John, exiled to the island of Patmos for his faith (as mentioned in Revelation 1:9), was receiving these visions in a context where Christians faced immense pressure to conform to imperial cult worship. The seven churches in Asia Minor, to whom the messages are addressed, were real congregations grappling with various spiritual and practical challenges, including persecution, false teaching, and spiritual apathy. Apocalyptic literature, characterized by symbolic language, visions, and a focus on divine intervention in history, was a recognized genre in both Jewish and early Christian circles, offering hope and understanding to those suffering under oppressive regimes.
Key Themes: This verse underscores several critical themes foundational to the Book of Revelation. Firstly, it highlights the Divine Authority and Mandate behind the prophecy; John is not writing his own ideas but faithfully recording Christ's revelation. Secondly, it provides the Structural Outline for the entire book, dividing its vast content into three chronological and thematic sections, thereby serving as an indispensable hermeneutical key for readers. Thirdly, it emphasizes the Comprehensive Scope of Prophecy, encompassing past divine encounters, present church realities, and future eschatological events, all under God's sovereign control. This tripartite division ensures that the book is understood not as a chaotic collection of visions, but as an organized, purposeful message from God to His people across time.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Revelation 1:19 primarily employs Imperative Command, as Christ directly orders John to "Write," underscoring the divine authority and necessity of recording this revelation. The verse also functions as a Structural Outline or Framework, providing a clear, tripartite division for the entire book, which is crucial for its interpretation. This tripartite division itself demonstrates Prophetic Chronology, establishing a temporal progression from past vision, to present church realities, and then to future eschatological events. While not directly a Symbolism, the verse sets the stage for the pervasive use of symbolic language throughout the rest of the book, where complex truths are conveyed through vivid imagery and allegorical representations.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Revelation 1:19 is a lynchpin verse, asserting the divine origin and structured nature of the entire Book of Revelation. It profoundly impacts our understanding of God's sovereign control over history—past, present, and future. The command to "write" emphasizes the importance of God's revealed word, ensuring that His message is preserved and accessible to all generations. The tripartite division underscores that God's plan is not chaotic but unfolds with intentionality and purpose, encompassing the immediate spiritual state of His people and the grand sweep of eschatological events leading to Christ's ultimate victory. This verse reaffirms God's faithfulness in revealing His plans to His servants, offering both warning and hope.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Revelation 1:19 provides immense clarity and comfort for the modern reader approaching the often-daunting Book of Revelation. It assures us that this complex book is not a random collection of visions, but a divinely organized message with a clear structure and purpose. Understanding this three-part outline helps us to properly interpret the book, distinguishing between the initial vision of Christ's glory, the timeless messages to the churches that speak to our present spiritual condition, and the future prophetic events that remind us of God's ultimate triumph and Christ's return. This verse calls us to engage with God's revealed word diligently, to heed the warnings and promises given to the churches, and to live with an expectant hope for the future, knowing that God is sovereign over all history and will bring His plans to glorious fruition. It encourages us to find our place within God's unfolding story, living faithfully in the "things which are" while anticipating the "things which shall be hereafter."
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why is Revelation 1:19 considered the key to understanding the Book of Revelation?
Answer: Revelation 1:19 is considered the key to understanding the Book of Revelation because it provides a divinely inspired structural outline for the entire prophecy. The verse explicitly divides the book's content into three chronological and thematic sections: "the things which thou hast seen" (John's initial vision of the glorified Christ in Revelation 1:12-18), "the things which are" (the messages to the seven churches in Revelation Chapters 2-3, representing the church age), and "the things which shall be hereafter" (the future prophetic events from Revelation 4 to the end of the book). This clear framework helps readers navigate the complex visions and prophecies, providing a logical progression and interpretive guide.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Revelation 1:19, though a structural command, is profoundly Christ-centered in its implications. The "things which thou hast seen" directly refer to John's vision of the glorified Christ (as detailed in Revelation 1:12-18), establishing Jesus as the divine revealer and the authoritative source of all prophecy. The "things which are" are Christ's direct messages to His churches (Revelation 2-3), demonstrating His ongoing headship, intimate knowledge, and sovereign oversight of His body, the Church, throughout history. Most significantly, "the things which shall be hereafter" find their ultimate fulfillment in Christ's triumphant return, His righteous judgments, and His eternal reign. The entire prophetic narrative from Revelation 4 onwards culminates in the establishment of His kingdom, the marriage supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19:7-9), and the new heaven and new earth where God dwells with His people (Revelation 21:1-4). Thus, Revelation 1:19 outlines a revelation that begins with Christ's glory, addresses His present Church, and climaxes with His ultimate victory and eternal dominion, affirming that all history moves towards its glorious consummation in Him, the Alpha and the Omega (Revelation 22:13).