Day 5 - Revelation 1:9-20

9 I, John, am your brother and your partner in suffering and in God’s Kingdom and in the patient endurance to which Jesus calls us. I was exiled to the island of Patmos for preaching the word of God and for my testimony about Jesus. 10 It was the Lord’s Day, and I was worshiping in the Spirit.Suddenly, I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet blast. 11 It said, “Write in a book everything you see, and send it to the seven churches in the cities of Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.”

12 When I turned to see who was speaking to me, I saw seven gold lampstands. 13 And standing in the middle of the lampstands was someone like the Son of Man. He was wearing a long robe with a gold sash across his chest. 14 His head and his hair were white like wool, as white as snow. And his eyes were like flames of fire. 15 His feet were like polished bronze refined in a furnace, and his voice thundered like mighty ocean waves. 16 He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp two-edged sword came from his mouth. And his face was like the sun in all its brilliance.

17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as if I were dead. But he laid his right hand on me and said, “Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the living one. I died, but look—I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave.

19 “Write down what you have seen—both the things that are now happening and the things that will happen. 20 This is the meaning of the mystery of the seven stars you saw in my right hand and the seven gold lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.


Tori's Comments:

What a firm reminder of the holiness of Christ I see in this picture! I remember how baffled I used to be at the necessity of a "fear of the Lord", and how that works together with loving Him? How can you love and fear?
But just reading verses 12-16, I feel that fear, that awe and reverence for who He is, and my response has me wanting to go onto my own knees! He is so mighty and Godly and we are so unholy in our sinfulness.... and that is where love comes in. Jesus, in His might, chose to die on a cross at our hands. And how can our life not reflect our gratefulness at the realization?

And something I am recently well acquainted with is how easy it is to slip out of that gratefulness, and realizing my mistake, over and over I come back to Him on my knees in repentance and He grants me more mercy. It amazes me!


Terrie's Comments:
There are many theories out and many opinions about what the book of Revelation means.  I will write what I see.  It could be that as with other parts of scripture there are layers to what is to be taken from this portion of the scriptures.  If you do not agree with what is said here I am ok with you seeing something different as the Holy Spirit leads you into understanding.  

John was exiled to an island because of preaching the truth about Jesus Christ.  He was asked by Jesus to write down what he was instructed to the churches in Ephesus.  He was given a vision and he was given the meaning of some of what he saw.  

In this passage he is shown Jesus and 7 lamp stands (representing the 7 churches that he was instructed to write to) and 7 stars (representing the 7 angels of the seven churches.  

This passage also reveals that Revelation reveals things that were happening at the time and things that would happen in the future.  

Jesus also reveals more about himself "“Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the living one. I died, but look—I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave."  

If you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ you will be saved!


Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!