REVELATION 1:14-17 JESUS BEYOND COMPREHENSION

REVELATION

A Verse by Verse Study

My own personal journey

"A journey of studying what’s revealed to me!"

Jesus, Beyond Comprehension

Revelation 1: 14-17 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.

In the last note we talked about Jesus the Lampstand and delved into what John saw just a little. I’m not doing this study so I can know the details of the end times or the possible meaning of numbers.  I’m not touching on too much symbolism except when obvious. I don’t need to know exactly when Jesus is coming back or exactly what will happen. The Word says it’s for the Father to know the exact day and hour of Jesus return and no man will know. We can know seasons though and we can look into the things God has revealed to us. The book of Revelation is just that! It’s a Revelation.

John saw one that looked like the Son of Man as revealed in previous verses. Let’s delve a little deeper….. Who else had a similar vision?  Daniel did.  Daniel said he saw “THE ANCIENT OF DAYS,” sitting on a throne and he had hair as white as wood.  John said he saw one like the Son of Man with hair like wool and eyes like fire. Daniel saw “THE ANCIENT OF DAYS,” with hair like wool and his throne was of fire!  Then Daniel saw one like the Son of Man come TO THIS ANCIENT OF DAYS.  Daniel saw the Son of Man receive all power and authority from the ANCIENT OF DAYS.  They are one and the same yet the Son of Man is yielded to The ANCIENT OF DAYS!

Vision of the Ancient of Days

Daniel 7:9 “I watched till thrones were put in place,
And the Ancient of Days was seated;
His garment was white as snow,
And the hair of His head was like pure wool.
His throne was a fiery flame,
Its wheels a burning fire;
¹⁰ A fiery stream issued
And came forth from before Him.
A thousand thousands ministered to Him;
Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him.
The court was seated,
And the books were opened.

First, Daniel saw one identified as THE ANCIENT OF DAYS.

The one John saw was identified as THE SON OF MAN!  

Daniel also saw THE SON OF MAN a few verses later!

Revelation 1: 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.

The one John saw had hair as white like wool! 

The one Daniel saw had hair as white as wool!

Are these one and the same or are they different?  Is both true! 

Friends, this is why you can’t explain God in human, secular, natural terms.  Jesus our Savior is both one with God and distinctly the Son of God! He is also distinctly man, born of a virgin!  Everything about Jesus is both supernatural and natural. Jesus is God in the flesh! He and his Father, the ANCIENT OF DAYS are ONE! They can’t be separated. This is what makes our God different from any God.  This is what makes our book, the bible different than any other “alleged” religious book.  No other book makes the claim our book makes.  Our Jesus, our Savior is both the ANCIENT OF DAYS AND THE SON OF MAN!  He IS THE ANCIENT OF DAYS and he is submitted TO the ANCIENT OF DAYS!  His claim is that there is only ONE God but that he IS God and that he has a FATHER who is God!  In God three CAN BE ONE and they are inseparable and distinctly individual.  With God all things are possible!

Look at more of Daniel’s vision.  One like the Son of Man comes to the ANCIENT OF DAYS who is on the throne!

Daniel 7:¹³ “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.
¹⁴ Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom,
That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion,
Which shall not pass away,
And His kingdom the one
Which shall not be destroyed.

Here, one like the Son of Man comes TO the Ancient of Days!  John saw one like the Son of Man! He looked the same as THE ANCIENT OF DAYS!  Now look at the throne of the ANCIENT OF DAYS.  His throne in Daniel’s vision in verse 9 says it is a throne of fire!

Ezekiel was another one, in addition to John who fell on his face when he saw God’s glory.  He also had a Revelation very similar to both Daniel and John.  Read the whole chapter of Ezekiel 1 to find what Ezekiel saw! I’m excluding the whole text for the sake of space saving.

Ezekiel first saw a vision of the glory of God that could not be imagined in the mind of mere man!  He didn’t just see 3 as 1. He saw 4 living creatures, all moving in unison, being lifted by wheels within wheels.  Each creature reveals something about God. The creatures look in four directions which represent the directions of the earth, the directions of man and then they move as the Spirit leads them.  The bible says the eyes of the Lord go to and fro throughout the earth looking for those whose heart is toward him, that he can show himself strong to (2 Chronicles 16:9!) There was glory all around. Ezekiel could barely describe the glory!  I have another study where I break down this glory to the best of my ability but that’s for another time.  Ezekiel saw wheels in the middle of wheels.  He saw the appearance of fire and brightness and in the middle of it all he saw a man!

Ezekiel 1: 26 And above the firmament over their heads was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like a sapphire stone; on the likeness of the throne was a likeness with the appearance of a man high above it. ²⁷ Also from the appearance of His waist and upward I saw, as it were, the color of amber with the appearance of fire all around within it; and from the appearance of His waist and downward I saw, as it were, the appearance of fire with brightness all around. ²⁸ Like the appearance of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the brightness all around it. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord.

So when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice of one speaking.

This ONE Ezekiel saw was both God and man! It says he saw the appearance of the glory of the Lord! It says from within that glory he saw the appearance of a man!  He said he saw a throne.  Daniel saw a throne of wheels. Ezekiel saw a throne of wheels. Upon that throne Daniel saw was THE ANCIENT OF DAYS! Coming from that throne and on and above that throne Ezekiel saw a man!  God is not a man! The Word of God says he is not a man that he should lie! 

What we are seeing friends is another shining example of our beloved Trinity!  These examples are found in many places throughout the Word of God!  God who is not a man has a son, called The Son of Man.  He is submitted TO the Father but he and the Father are one!  Jesus is God. The Father is God. They are both one and the same and they are also different.  The Father is not a man. Jesus is both God and Man!  God became flesh so he could be a man and in all points be tempted as we are yet without sin!  Jesus is both God and Man!  Praise his name! This is beyond human description! As the beautiful song says, “You are beautiful beyond description, too marvelous for words, too wonderful for comprehension, like nothing ever seen or heard!”  If our book and our God was comprehendible to the human mind, he wouldn’t be God but he’s not comprehendible to the human mind. It takes a Spiritual revelation as John, Ezekiel and Daniel saw!  Ours is the only book that goes beyond human comprehension which is why our bible must be read and understood with spiritual revelation from God! Praise God!  Aren’t you glad you are not in the hands of man but in the mighty hands of a living God, who is more beautiful and powerful than human minds can fathom!

Maybe that’s why they fell on their face! When we get a Revelation of God, we may also fall on our face.   Let’s address that for a moment!  As Pastors, Teachers, Evangelists, Prophets and Apostles, those of us in ministry and those of us who are lay ministers should see people fall on their face.  If God is coming through our ministry, he’s going to touch people and when he does, if they get a Revelation as John, Daniel and Ezekiel did, they too may fall on their face.  When we are so dignified, we are embarrassed to respond to the touch of God, we may be finding ourselves too dignified to receive a touch from God because most people touched by God in the bible showed a physical reaction.  Both Ezekiel and John fell on their face!  As I think about it so did the guards present at The Resurrection! So did the soldier when Jesus healed his ear!  So did Abraham and Paul and the disciples present at Pentecost!  So did the keeper of the prison at Paul and Silas’ supernatural jailbreak!  Daniel was already down in a lying position but said he was troubled in his spirit and body! He said his countenance changed when he had visions from God.  I myself have been supernaturally touched while in a lying position and found myself unable to get up until the Spirit released me. I have also been touched while standing to the point I could no longer stand.  May we get back to believing in the Power of God and may all ministers be as Paul and let their preaching not be done with just convincing Words but with demonstration and power!

1 Corinthians 2:4 And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, ⁵ that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

Our God is supernatural.  He is above and beyond all things. He is beyond comprehension with the natural mind. Look at this scripture in 1 Corinthians 2: 9-14:

1 Corinthians 2: ^9-14 But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man, The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”

¹⁰ But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.¹¹ For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. ¹² Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.

¹³ These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. ¹⁴ But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

We can’t comprehend our God or the things of God with a natural mind. Our God is Super-Natural and that is why he is above all.  Every other religious book on the planet can be understood with the human mind but our book takes Spiritual revelation and is veiled to those who read who do not have the Spirit of God within!  Praise his name, he reveals himself to his servants!

Revelation 1:9 Beauty in Banishment

Revelation 1:9 Beauty in Banishment

REVELATION- A Verse by Verse Study- My own personal journey

"A journey of studying what’s revealed to me; not a journey to study what isn’t revealed!"

Revelation 1:9 Beauty in Banishment

Revelation 1:9
9 I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. 

John, one of the 12 disciples, the one Jesus loved, the one who sat with his head on Jesus heart beating, was in prison for his faith in Christ and for the Word of God.  Sometimes we don't realize the generals in the kingdom of God go through trials too! John was in prison! He was exiled! Why? Because he believed in Jesus and spoke his Word!  Your faith doesn't guarantee that you won't be in trials but it does guarantee you'll go through them.  When you go through something, you come out the other side.  Sometimes the middle is tough.  John was in a trial. He was imprisoned for his faith. He would die there....and live again on the other side!

THE ISLE OF PATMOS

John's banishment to Patmos is interesting. Patmos is a Greek Island. At the time, Patmos was a place for banishment of political prisoners as well as those that practiced sorcery, witchcraft and astrology.  John, being prophetic would have been in that category as some saw prophecy as witchcraft... just as they do today!  Prophecy is not witchcraft when it's from God!  John didn't say he was imprisoned for being a Christian but for God's Word!  I find that interesting and although I can't confirm it, I wonder if John was preaching of future events and proclaiming the living prophetic Word of God!

BANISHMENT CAN BE BEAUTIFUL

We may think of John as being imprisoned and I guess being exiled is imprisonment but if I was going to be exiled anywhere at all, I guess I'd choose an island....a Greek island!  The story is told, the encounter with Jesus that brought the Revelation was in a cave. I don't know if he was held there or if he was free to roam the island but just remember, in the same way God can give you beauty for ashes and joy for mourning, he can give you beauty in banishment. We must have our eyes open as John did.  One version of the text said he "saw the voice of God!" Whether he saw the voice or what the voice was showing him matters not. He saw something with eyes wide open and in the midst of his banishment, he saw something beautiful!


Revelation 1:10-12 I heard a loud voice behind me, trumpet-clear and piercing: “Write what you see into a book. Send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea.” I turned and saw the voice.


It was here, on The Isle of Patmos, John had his greatest encounter of all, out of which came the Book of Revelation which is a glimpse into the future for the body of Christ and the world at large.  Trials can be difficult but there are lilies in the valley!  Sometimes our greatest encounters come at our lowest moments.

IN THE SPIRIT

John was "in the Spirit."  He was praying and as he was praying he heard a loud voice like a trumpet.  Note John didn't lose his faith while in prison. He still continued to pray. How many of us get into a funk when our hopes and dreams don't turn out the way we expected?  Sometimes in a funk, we may stop praying. John may have gotten in a funk but prayer brought him through. Today John isn't in a funk. Today John is in heaven, seated in heavenly places with Christ Jesus worshiping, living in the reality of the revealed and tangible presence of God, and waiting to hear Jesus say, "Come on!" "It's time to see your Revelation revealed!"

When we are "in the Spirit," things happen! As we call upon the name of the Lord, he shows us things to come as he did with John.  We must stay "in the spirit," to make it through our own "Isle of Patmos!"  We must stay in the Spirit to receive heavenly vision.  Jesus had already spoken about this in John 16 as he was telling the disciples about the role the Holy Spirit would have in their life. John wrote about it as he recalled the words of Jesus telling them of the revelations the Holy Spirit would bring:

JOHN 16: 13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. 15 All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you. 

JOHN HEARD A VOICE

Now we've all heard of the experience of Moses on the back side of the desert. He was dilly dallying along, minding his own business, herding sheep when out of nowhere came a voice.  He wasn't seeking God at all. He may have not been in a funk at all since he had fled Egypt long ago. Moses may have been living an entirely new life, married to the daughter of the Priest of Midian and minding his sheep.  Moses had given up on the call of God having murdered a man and gone into hiding.  Then out of nowhere he heard a voice, turned aside to look, and there was a tree burning but not desinigrating. 

John had been sent to the Isle of Patmos to live out the rest of his life.  Imagine the hopes and dreams that were crushed.  Having walked with Jesus in his earthly ministry, having seen Jesus perform miracle after miracle and having heard Jesus speak the Words of life, then to die right before his eyes had to be heart rending.  Then Jesus rose from the dead and restored hope but as they began to spread the good news the opposition was great.

THE TRIALS OF THE APOSTLES

Both the bible and Foxe's Book of Martyrs are great resources for knowing what some of the apostles of our faith went through to lay the foundation for the Kingdom of God!

They were imprisoned, beaten, chained, stoned and killed. Some were boiled and some were burned at the stake.  They were persecuted, harassed, chased down like animals and tortured. Through all of this, their faith did not fail.  The key word is through. All of them went through!  In America, we are fortunate to have religious liberty.  They were not so fortunate.  Some may think those were acts of ancient times but get the publication "Voice of the Martyrs," and you'll know these thing are happening this very day!

Our faith has to go beyond our circumstance!  Our faith has to be forever settled in heaven and on earth. Our faith has to be settled in our hearts, that no matter what we go through, even death, our faith remains strong and our expectation that he will deliver us and do far above all we could ask or think will be realized!  We must in the face of our greatest trial, have our greatest faith! We must remain "in the spirit," and pray!  Just as John and Moses out of nowhere heard a voice, so our encounter with God that carries us to our next assignment will come suddenly!  Although this assignment didn't bring deliverance from Patmos, it brought a message of deliverance for the entire body of Christ!

REVELATION FROM WHO WAS IS AND IS TO COME

REVELATION

A Verse by Verse Study

A Journey of Studying What's Revealed to Me

 

Revelation 1:4

⁴ John, to the seven churches which are in Asia:  Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne,

This verse is about history in the making. This is how the Word of God spread.  The writer, inspired by God wrote and then distributed what was written under the Inspiration of the Spirit. Over the course of time, God protected his Word!

At the time of distribution there were seven distinct churches in Asia and these were who this book was originally written for.  

In the seven churches, John addresses problems which are found “in the church” at that time.  These problems appear today among the body of Christ.  Many say these seven churches represent seven eras.  I have no knowledge of that but I do know I, on a personal level can read the seven things written to the seven churches and I can learn the seven lessons and apply them to my life. If I am a leader or pastor, I can teach the seven lessons which will be distributed to various people living with various heart conditions (not physical heart problems, but spiritual problems, having to do with purity in heart!)

John was an apostle and the Word of God says, the body of Christ has been built on the foundation of the apostles.  Jesus is the one that called the original apostles and sent them out with authority. Because he had died didn’t mean the assignment of being sent into the world to establish the gospel of Jesus Christ was over. In fact it had just begun.  Not only the life and death of Jesus was the gospel but the resurrection and the gift of eternal life.  John’s message was part of the establishing and founding of the body of Christ. 

Luke 6:13

And when it was day, He called His disciples to Himself; and from them He chose twelve whom He also named apostles:

The very opening message of John establishes the fact this is written, not just for the seven churches in Asia but would be for the times to come as well.  He makes the emphatic statement that Jesus was, Jesus is and Jesus is to come!

The name John means “gracious giver.”  John’s message to be delivered is one of grace and peace, not destruction and misery.  However, as John’s name states gracious giver, it signifies the gift of grace which must be accepted.  For those accepting the gift of Christ, their names will be found “in” the “Lamb’s Book of Life,” but for those who do not receive the free gift, it will not be so. Their end will be the same destruction as Satan and his angels, the antichrist and false prophet receive which will be discussed later.

As stated in earlier verses, “Blessed are those who read and hear” the words of this book.  Reading, hearing and heeding will be the determining factor of which end each person comes to.  The intent is clear: Read, hear, welcome, do and receive the free gift of grace!  What a good God we serve that gives us choice of our own free will but lays out clearly the truth of the results of either choice.  How often are we faced with choices, not knowing what the end will be but God so graciously gives us the choice but also gives us knowledge of the result so we can make the right choice.  Will your choice be “grace and peace,” offered by the “giver of grace,” or will you choose the destination of the other father, the devil? The choice is clear. Choose life that you may live eternally in heaven with the “giver of grace!”

Jesus was!  Jesus, the Son and Word of God, manifested in earth as a baby in the womb of a virgin!  He eternally existed with God the father prior to his earthly entrance.  This same Word of God, was not only with God, but he Was God!  This can only be true IN God as with God all things are possible, yet we live in an earthly, limited realm.  We must not accept him only on earthly terms but on heavenly terms.  He Was with God; He Is God; and through him we have been given the right to be the sons of God!  Just as he came and many did not comprehend what was happening, so today many do not comprehend the truth.  It’s not that the truth hasn’t been given nor has the truth not been well established but in spite of the truth being made plain and details given before their eyes, they choose to remain in darkness.  One has only to read the history of the recording of ancient prophecies and the fulfillment of the same to know the Word of God is true.  The Word of God, above all other books on the earth has been protected and preserved.  Its’ truthfulness has been proven time and again, yet many choose to stay in their sin and question its’ authority.  An honest study of the historical documenting, the fulfillment, the preserving as well as the authenticating and agreement of the God (author) behind the writers and the absolute agreement of all leaves one in awe that such powerful agreement could happen over thousands of years. Throughout the books of the bible runs a common personality, a common original author and a common theme.  Details only possible with Deity are found within the pages of the world’s best seller and an honest study will leave one worshiping the Author and Finisher of our Faith! 

The plan of salvation was “in the beginning,” God having full knowledge that man would be flawed and would fall short of his glory!  He made the way for mankind to be “made holy,” and live eternally, yet he did give the freedom to choose.  Jesus was before the foundation of the world.  We know he has existed eternally and clearly is established in our minds as God himself!

John 1: 1-5 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it......

John 1:10-16 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’” 16 And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.

Revelation 13:8 All who dwell on earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

Because of his resurrection he is. Because of his promise he is to come. Because he is eternal, he was and is and is to come.  May we choose the life of grace and peace found in his promises. May we be blessed by reading and hearing his book. May we welcome him with open arms as he has welcomed us. May we choose the paths of life! Amen!

The Holy Bible, New King James Version Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.. “Bible Gateway. 2013. 11 May 2013. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation%201:4&version=NKJV