A Dream Like No Other...

I invite you to take your Bibles this morning and find Revelation 1:9. If you weren’t with us last Sunday morning, we began a verse-by-verse or expositional study of the book of Revelation.  It is the last book of the Bible and the New Testament and speaks rather clearly about the future.

 

We saw that this book is the Revelation about Jesus and from Jesus to John and to first and second century Christians and any and all who would come after them.  It speaks of a blessing for you if you hear it and obey it, and we saw that Revelation’s announcement is the second coming of Christ.  We must get that word out!

 

This morning, we look at 1:9-20.  My message is entitled, “A Dream Like No Other…”  Here in these verses, we see the first of several of John’s dreams or visions or revelations while exiled on the island of Patmos.

 

Beginning in verse 9, we find out why John was exiled to Patmos.  Notice John’s humility in describing himself not as Jesus’ best friend or even an Apostle but simply as a brother noting that we are part of the family of God because we are in Jesus. 

 

He then says that he is a partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance in following Christ.  Make no mistake about it.  John was being punished because he preached the word of God and gave testimony about Jesus while he was the pastor of the church at Ephesus. 

 

He did such a good job that the Roman Emperor Domitian was threatened.  As a result, John was exiled.  Other Christians at the time were under persecution as well.  They experienced tribulation also. 

 

Brother and sisters, regardless of what well-known Christian pastors say about living your best life now, if you have ever been told that being a Christian makes all of your problems go away, you have been duped.  In fact, God’s word says just the opposite.

 

Being a follow of Christ then and now guarantees your tribulation and need for perseverance.  See Matthew 24:9, Acts 14:22, Romans 12:12, 1 Thessalonians 3:2-3, and 2 Timothy 3:12.

 

Matthew 24:9, 9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake.

 

Acts 14:22, 22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.”

 

Romans 12:12, 12 rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer;

 

1 Thessalonians 3:2-3, 2 and sent Timothy, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith, 3 that no one should be shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we are appointed to this.

 

2 Timothy 3:12, 12 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

 

Now, beginning in verse 10, I want you to notice that John’s revelation was heard and seen and interpreted.

 

 

11. John’s revelation was heard, Revelation 1:10-11.

10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, 11 saying, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,” and, “What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.”

 

Verse 10 says that John was in the Spirit.  Simply, this was some type of supernatural experience.  I would not call it normative or even happening today.  The grammar of this verse simply says this was John worshipping the Lord on Sunday and hearing from the Lord about the future. 

 

By the way, don’t miss this truth.  The Lord’s Day is not for hunting or for fishing or for ballgames without hearing from the Lord through His word and His church first.  If you want to hear from the Lord through His word and through His church, make sure, on the Lord’s Day, that you are not at the deer lease or the lake or the ballfield.  Don’t expect to hear from the Lord there.  It is no coincidence that this first vision that John experienced was on Sunday. 

 

Again, the Lord’s Day is the day Jesus was resurrected from the grave, and John heard a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet telling him to write what he sees in a book and share it with the seven churches of Asia or modern-day Turkey.

 

John was the author, his assignment was to write down what he saw, and his immediate audience was the seven churches of Asia. 

 

 

18. John’s revelation was seen, Revelation 1:12-18.

12 Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. 14 His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; 15 His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; 16 He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. 17 And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. 18 I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.

 

Verses 12 through 18 explain that John’s revelation was seen.  First of all, John saw seven golden lampstands.  What were these?  See verse 20. 

 

20 The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.

 

These correspond to the seven churches from verse 11.  In addition, there were seven stars that were symbolic of the angels of the churches.  What were these?  Again, see verse 20.

 

20 The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.

 

These could be guardian angels of each church.  However, I would contend that these are the pastors of these churches.  Remember, angel means messenger, and the blessing from 1:3 is for he who reads and those who hear.  John is going to be specifically sharing his vision with these pastors who will then share with their respective churches.

 

3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.

 

In the middle of these churches is one like the Son of Man.  This is Jesus. 

 

Make no mistake about it.  These churches and this church does not belong to me.  It does not belong to you.  It does not belong to Emory or the Southern Baptist Convention.  This church belongs to Jesus Christ.  This church, like all others, is the bride of Christ.

 

The rest of verse 13 and following describes the Lord.  We first saw the seven lampstands.  Now, we’re going to see the Son of Man.  Then, you’ll notice the stars of verse 16.

 

This “Son of Man” language was taken from Daniel 7:13. It is also John’s favorite title for Jesus in his gospel as it is used at least 11 times in that book.

 

Daniel 7:13, 13 “I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven!  He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him.

 

Remember what I said last week.  Revelation is a prophetic, circular letter that contains a lot of apocalyptic language or symbolic language.  Therefore, we are going to interpret it literally unless the text demands otherwise.  Here is an example of otherwise. 

 

Certainly John saw this Jesus, but notice the use of the words “like” and “as.”  They are used as a simile on seven different occasions in verses 12-16.  Therefore, we aren’t seeing the following as literally how Jesus is or was but as John was able to describe Him. 

 

We see that He had a robe reaching to His feet and a golden sash across His chest.  He was dressed as an OT high priest, and He is your high priest if you have been born-again. 

 

His head and hair were white.  White is symbolic of holiness and purity but also knowledge and experience.  Gray hair is a sign of maturity. 

 

His eyes were like a flame of fire.  This is fire of judgment.  He sees everything and everyone.  Nothing is beyond His vision. 

 

The fine brass is symbolic of His own experience, and He has been tempted and tried and remained perfect. 

 

His voice is powerful.  It spoke the world into being, it calmed the storms, and it will pronounce judgment, and that judgment will be right and fair as it will be according to God’s word, that doubled-edged sword. 

 

Finally, His face was shining displaying His glory.  This is the resurrected Christ, Jesus, our Lord and Savior.

 

By the way, just like God, because He is God, Jesus’ white hair and experience remind us of His omniscience…He knows all.

 

His eyes like a flame of fire demonstrates ability to judge all.  He is omnipresent.  He sees everything because He is everywhere.

 

His feet of fine brass remind us of a general’s strength and putting his feet on the defeated enemy’s neck.  Jesus is omnipotent…all powerful. 

 

Consequently, John fell at His feet like a dead man.  By the way, this is the verse that our charismatic brothers and sisters point to as biblical justification for being slain in or by the Spirit. 

 

However, Jesus comforted John.  He told him not to be afraid. 

 

He is the first and the last, and the living One.  He was dead but is now alive forever, and He has the final authority over all humanity.  Jesus has the keys of death and the place of the dead, Hades.  Those are basically synonymous. 

 

 

• John’s revelation was interpreted, Revelation 1:19-20.

 19 Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this. 20 The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.

 

Verse 19 has one of the clearest book outlines in all of the Bible.  John was to write about what he saw, and he did.  That is verses 9-20 of chapter 1. 

 

He was to write about what was currently, that is about the seven churches, and he did.  That is chapters 2 and 3. 

 

He was to write about the things which will take place after these things.  Those are the future events.  That is chapters 4-22.  If that is not clear, I don’t know what is. 

 

Finally, we’ve actually already seen the interpretation of this revelation. The stars are the angels or messengers or pastors of the churches.  The lampstands are the seven churches. 

 

 

Conclusion

But what does all of this mean for me today?  First, Jesus is all about His church and the local church.  He stands in the middle of them.  He speaks to them.  He protects them.  His plan centers on them.  He died for them.

 

Consequently, if you’re not connected to a local church today, you are missing out on the heartbeat of God.  Get connected today to this one or another one, but get formally connected today.

 

Secondly, biblically, you can’t be part of a local church unless you are part of the global church, and that only happens by receiving Jesus as Lord and Savior of your life.