Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 44

“‘But now hear, O Jacob my servant, Israel whom I have chosen! Thus says the Lord who made you, who formed you from the womb and will help you: Fear not, O Jacob my servant, Jeshurun whom I have chosen. For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants. They shall spring up among the grass like willows by flowing streams. This one will say, ‘I am the Lord’s,’ another will call on the name of Jacob, and another will write on his hand, ‘The Lord’s,’ and name himself by the name of Israel.’ Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: ‘I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god. Who is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare and set it before me, since I appointed an ancient people. Let them declare what is to come, and what will happen. Fear not, nor be afraid; have I not told you from of old and declared it? And you are my witnesses! Is there a God besides me? There is no Rock; I know not any.’ All who fashion idols are nothing, and the things they delight in do not profit. Their witnesses neither see nor know, that they may be put to shame. Who fashions a god or casts an idol that is profitable for nothing? Behold, all his companions shall be put to shame, and the craftsmen are only human. Let them all assemble, let them stand forth. They shall be terrified; they shall be put to shame together. The ironsmith takes a cutting tool and works it over the coals. He fashions it with hammers and works it with his strong arm. He becomes hungry, and his strength fails; he drinks no water and is faint. The carpenter stretches a line; he marks it out with a pencil. He shapes it with planes and marks it with a compass. He shapes it into the figure of a man, with the beauty of a man, to dwell in a house. He cuts down cedars, or he chooses a cypress tree or an oak and lets it grow strong among the trees of the forest. He plants a cedar and the rain nourishes it. Then it becomes fuel for a man. He takes a part of it and warms himself; he kindles a fire and bakes bread. Also he makes a god and worships it; he makes it an idol and falls down before it. Half of it he burns in the fire. Over the half he eats meat; he roasts it and is satisfied. Also he warms himself and says, ‘Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire!’ And the rest of it he makes into a god, his idol, and falls down to it and worships it. He prays to it and says, ‘Deliver me, for you are my god!’ They know not, nor do they discern, for he has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see, and their hearts, so that they cannot understand. No one considers, nor is there knowledge or discernment to say, ‘Half of it I burned in the fire; I also baked bread on its coals; I roasted meat and have eaten. And shall I make the rest of it an abomination? Shall I fall down before a block of wood?” He feeds on ashes; a deluded heart has led him astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, ‘Is there not a lie in my right hand?’ Remember these things, O Jacob, and Israel, for you are my servant; I formed you; you are my servant; O Israel, you will not be forgotten by me. I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud and your sins like mist; return to me, for I have redeemed you. Sing, O heavens, for the Lord has done it; shout, O depths of the earth; break forth into singing, O mountains, O forest, and every tree in it! For the Lord has redeemed Jacob, and will be glorified in Israel. Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, who formed you from the womb: ‘I am the Lord, who made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by myself, who frustrates the signs of liars and makes fools of diviners, who turns wise men back and makes their knowledge foolish, who confirms the word of his servant and fulfills the counsel of his messengers, who says of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be inhabited,’ and of the cities of Judah, ‘They shall be built, and I will raise up their ruins’; who says to the deep, ‘Be dry; I will dry up your rivers’; who says of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd, and he shall fulfill all my purpose’; saying of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be built,’ and of the temple, ‘Your foundation shall be laid.’” (Isaiah 44, ESV)

New Testament Reading: Revelation 1:8, 17-19

Let us now read the sermon text for today. The first part is Revelation 1:8. In this verse we are exposed to the words of the Lord God, that is, of God Almighty. “‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty” (Revelation 1:8, ESV). In verse 17 we are exposed to the words, not of the Lord God, but of the son of man that John saw. John writes, “When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, ‘Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades. Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this” (Revelation 1:17–19, ESV).

Introduction

The Christian faith is more than a collection of a few random and disconnected doctrines. It is, instead, a worldview. Yes, it is right to say that Christians are those who believe upon Christ. It is true that there are some doctrines that we would consider essential – the belief in one true God who is Triune; the belief that he created all things seen and unseen; the belief that man was created upright but sinned; and the belief that God has provided a way for sinners to be saved through faith alone in Jesus the Christ, who is the eternal Son of God coming in the flesh, who has accomplished our redemption by his death, burial and resurrection. These are essential doctrines indeed. Others could be listed.

But it is important to see that God has revealed these truths to us, not by listing them out as a series of propositions – not as a series of factual statements – God did not lower a textbook for us on a rope – but rather God has revealed himself to us in the world. He has revealed himself to us by acting in in human history, and the scriptures are a record of God’s salvific and revelatory acts. Our God is a God who acts. He created, he sustains, he accomplished redemption, he saves, and he is coming soon. He is the God who acts in human history. We live in his world. The Holy Scriptures are not a mere collection of factual statements or moral codes, but are instead a record of God’s acts of creation and redemption.

The end result is that our faith is more than collection of random and disconnected doctrines. It is, instead, a worldview. To have faith means that we believe upon God and the Christ he has sent, but it also means that we have come to see the world as God sees it. To have faith is to view the world as God views it – to agree with his revealed truth concerning who he is, who we are, how we are to relate to him, what he has done and is doing in the world now, and where are things are headed. The Christian faith is more than collection of random propositions – it is instead a way of seeing the world.

May I suggest to you that all of the trouble that we face in this world comes as a result of we humans refusing to see the world as God has revealed it. That might at first seem like an outrages oversimplification of things, but it holds true. God sees the world in a particular way, doesn’t he? His view of the world – his opinion concerning the reality of things – is perfect and pure and true. And he has revealed his perspective to us. We humans cannot naturally know the mind of God. We cannot lift ourselves up to see things from God’s perspective. But God, in his mercy, has determined to reveal himself to us. He has shown us something of who he is, and of what he is doing in the world. He has revealed something of his plans and purposes. God has not revealed himself exhaustively. He has not told us everything. But in his mercy he has revealed something of himself – his nature, his character, his plans and purposed – to us.

We humans tend to ignore what God has said taking another view of things, leading us to go another way. Was this not true of the first sin? Did not God reveal himself to the first man and women? Did he not show them who he was, who they were, what the world was for, how they were to live in it, enjoying communion with one another and with him? Did he not reveal where things would go should they take this way or that? They decided to adopt the evil one’s view of things instead of God’s. And is this not true of every sin that we commit to this present day? Do we not bring trouble upon ourselves by ignoring God’s revelation, choosing to see things another way? Even Christians, I fear, find themselves in trouble because they do not see the world as God has revealed it, but have instead constructed for themselves a worldview that is in some way distorted or lacking. This is what I mean when I say that all of the trouble we face in this world comes as a result of we humans refusing to see the world as God has revealed it.

We make for ourselves a worldview of our own. We carve out for ourselves opinions concerning God and man and our purpose in the world. And we bow down to our little idolatrous worldview – we live by it. Everyone lives – makes their choices – based upon the way that they view the world. Our emotions are effected by our worldview. Our thoughts are effected – our wills are shaped by our worldview. The question is, do we have God view of the world, or one that we have crafted on our own?

A worldview is a very powerful thing, that is the point I am making. Everyone has one. And God’s desire is that we would adopt his.

If I were to hone in upon the most important aspects of one’s worldview it would be these: one’s view of God; one’s view of man; and one’s view of the purpose and trajectory of human history. Who is God, what is man, and what is God doing in the world, if anything?

The scriptures certainly provide answers to these questions, don’t they? And may I suggest to you that the book of Revelation is primarily concerned to answer these questions. In the book of Revelation a visionary and symbolic world is set before our eyes. The visions do not necessarily describe to us how things actually look, but rather how they really are. The book gives the gift of a worldview to it’s readers. Christians are made to see how things really are. Who is God? Where is he? Who are we in relation to him? What is our purpose? Where is human history heading? These are the questions that book of Revelation answers.

The book contains prophesy too. The book speaks of things that will happen in the future (from the time of it’s writing). Some of the prophesies have been and will be fulfilled generally and progressively. There will always be beasts, harlots, and false prophets in the world, just as there will always be antichrists, to use language from 1 and 2 John. But other prophesies pertain to specific historical events yet future even to us. The Christ will come again. There will be a final judgment. The new heavens and new earth will be established. These are specific events yet in our future. The book certainly contains prophesy – predictions as to how things will go in the world generally and specifically from the time the book was written on to the end.

But here I am emphasizing the apocalyptic message of the book which reveals how things really are in the world. Revelation is a worldview book. It shows us how we are to think about God, ourselves, and God’s work in this world. And what a gift it is! How powerful it is! How transformative it is to see the world as God sees it.

Two foundational questions are settled in the text that we are considering this morning. One, how are we to think of God? Two, how are we to think of Jesus Christ?

How are We to View God?

In 1:8 God speaks. And what he says about himself is incredibly important. His description of himself sets the stage for much of the rest of the book of Revelation. “‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” (Revelation 1:8, ESV)

Notice three things:

He is the Alpha and Omega

One, the Lord God is the Alpha and the Omega.

Alpha is the first letter in the Greek alphabet, omega is the last. In English we would say “I am the A and the Z. The meaning is this: The Lord God is the first and the last, the beginning and the end. All things come from him and return to him. He is the source of all things, and he is the end of all things. All things flow from him and all things will return to him, bringing glory to him.

It is interesting that only twice in the book of Revelation do we hear specific words coming from the Lord God. He speaks here in 1:8 and then again in 21:5-8 where he says, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end…” (Revelation 21:6, ESV).

Notice how these declarations serve as bookends to the book of Revelation. At the beginning and end of the book we are reminded that God is the beginning and end of all things Everything that is comes from him and will return to him.

He is the One Who is and Who Was and is to Come

Two, the Lord God describes himself as the one who is and who was and is to come.

God is. Certainly we are to think of the Divine name here. When God revealed himself to Moses in the burning bush he revealed himself as the “I am”, the one who is, the one who owes his existence to no one. He is the self existent one. God simply is. No one made him. No one adds to his existence. No one sustains him. He is in need of no one and no thing outside of himself. He is.

And the Lord God is also the one who was. He has always been. He is eternal, uncreated, without beginning or end.

And he is the one who is to come. Though God is transcendent. Though he stands outside of time – outside of history – he is the God who works within human history. Really the book of Revelation is all about the coming of God, his Christ, and his kingdom. He is the one who is to come. 

He is the Almighty

Three, the Lord God describes himself as the Almighty.

The Lord God is all mighty. He is all powerful. Nothing can frustrate his purposes. Nothing can stand in his way to resist him. When we think of him we are to think of him as ultimate and supreme.

The book of Revelation uses the phrase “the Lord God Almighty” seven times. It appears here in 1,8, and also in 4:8; 11:17; 15:3; 16:7; 19:6; and 21:22. I think Revelation is bent on convincing us that the Lord God is indeed perfect in power.

How are We to View the Christ?

Notice that in 1:17 it is not the Lord God who speaks, but the “one like a son of man”, who is Jesus the Christ. John has already described the appearance of this “one like a son of man”, now he tells us about his reaction and the words that the Christ spoke.

“When I saw him [John says], I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, ‘Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades. Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this” (Revelation 1:17–19, ESV).

Notice three things concerning the Christ:

He is the First and the Last

One, Christ introduces himself as the first and the last.

This is a different way of saying the same thing that the Lord God said concerning himself.  In 1:8. The Lord God referred to himself as “the Alpha and Omega”. Here in 1:17 the Christ refers to himself as “the first and the last”. The words are different but the meaning is the same.

God is the beginning and the end, and so is Jesus Christ. All things come from them. They are the source of all things. And all things are to them. All things were created for the glory of the Father through the Son. The Christ was and is the eternal Son of God, the second person of the Trinity, come in the flesh. All that is true of God is true of him then, for he is God.

I’m sure that you remember how John began his Gospel. John 1:1-3 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.” (John 1:1–3, ESV) The same principle communicated John 1:1-3 – that Christ was in the beginning and that all things were made through him – is communicated here in Revelation 1:17 through the words of the “one like a son of man.”He, like the Lord God, is “the first and the last.”

Paul speaks of Christ this way, saying, “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:16–17, ESV).

What is true of the Lord God is also true of the Christ, for he is God with us – God come in the flesh.

He is the Living One

Two, he is the living one.

John 1:4 speaks of Jesus saying, “In him was life, and the life was the light of men” (John 1:4, ESV). In Revelation Jesus introduces himself to John saying, I am “the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore” (Revelation 1:18, ESV).

Here is a reference to Christ’s resurrection. Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God come in the flesh, was born into this world, he lived, he died, and rose again, never to die again. He is now alive, but not as we are. For the life that he possesses is eternal. He is alive “forevermore.” He is “the living one.”

He is the One with the Keys of Death and Hades

Three, Christ is the one who has the keys of death and hades.

Christ is “the living one.” He himself is alive “forevermore.” But more than that he has the keys to death and to the grave. The implication is that he has the keys and will unlock the gates of death and of hades for others – for all who believe upon him.

Conclusion 

You know these things, but do you know them?

Do you see how significant these truths are to the formation of a distinctly Christian worldview? Transcendent God. Creator God. Compare contrast with the idolators of of Isaiah 42.

I’ve met a lot of professing Christians who do not believe these things. They have made themselves to be the Alpha and Omega. They think of God as ever changing, being moved by the decisions of man. They see God as being often frustrated.

In short they failed to maintain the distinction between Creator and creature. They have carved for themselves a little idol in their heart to bow down to. But the little god resembles the stuff of this earth more than the one who made the heavens and the earth.

The book of Revelation is going to paint picture of God for us and of the Christ He will be pictured as the Creator of all things, the sovereign one who is over all things. He is glorious, deserving of all praise. He is source and the end of all things. He is the Almighty. God and transcends this creation. He stand outside of it both in regard to time and space. He is not not bound our contained by either. But God is also near. He is involved with the world, bringing about his purposes in it. He is the one who was and is and is to come. 

This is a worldview, folks. It’s more than doctrine – it’s a worldview. Go outside today look at the world. Look at the mountains and the sky. Look at the clouds. Look at our city and the people in it. And then think about the book of Revelation and the picture that it paints for us. Your cannot see what Revelation described with the natural eye. You must see it with the eye of faith. But how important it is that we see it. We must learn to look at the world as God sees it and as he has revealed it. We must learn to interpret all that happens in the earthly physical realm in light of what we know about the spiritual and invisible realm. This is what it means to walk by faith and not by sight.

Friends, if we hope to walk as God has called us  to walk in this world be had better begin to see the world as God sees it and has revealed it. May the Lord help us. Amen

Old Testament Reading: Daniel 7:9–14

“As I looked, thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days took his seat; his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames; its wheels were burning fire. A stream of fire issued and came out from before him; a thousand thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him; the court sat in judgment, and the books were opened. I looked then because of the sound of the great words that the horn was speaking. And as I looked, the beast was killed, and its body destroyed and given over to be burned with fire. As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but their lives were prolonged for a season and a time. “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And 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 one that shall not be destroyed.” (Daniel 7:9–14, ESV)

New Testament Reading: Revelation 1:12–20

“Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.” (Revelation 1:9–16, ESV)

Introduction

The title of last weeks sermon was “We Are Not Alone”, for that is the main thought being communicated in this opening vision of the book of Revelation. Christians do not walk alone in this world. Local churches are not alone. We have one another, and Christ is in the midst of us. Indeed this is meant to bring comfort to Christians living in tumultuous times.

But it should be recognized that the phrase “we are not alone” is not necessarily a comforting one as it stands alone. I can think of plenty of scenarios where the words “we are not alone” would produce an emotion other than comfort.

Imagine two friends camping in a dark and lonely forest. In the middle of the night they hear a twig snap and a rusting in the leaves and one of them says to the other, “we are not alone”. Or think of pair of bank robbers who, in the middle of a bank job, hear footsteps coming down the hallway and one of them says to the other “we are not alone”. Or think of a husband and wife asleep in bed at 2:00am when they hear the pitter patter of their three year old’s feet and one says to the other “we are not alone”.

So you would agree, then, that the phrase “we are not alone” does not automatically bring comfort? The situation matters, doesn’t it? And the nature, character, and intent of the visitor matters. And these are the things that the opening vision of the book of Revelation communicates. Not only does it say “we are not alone”, but it communicates something to us concerning the nature, character, and intent of the one in the midst of us. And it is by knowing him that we come to have peace in this troubled world.

As we come to consider the description of Jesus here in John 1:12-20 it must be remembered that John did not see Jesus as he literally is in heaven now, but rather John was shown a vision in which he saw a figure that represents Jesus. He saw a symbol of Jesus. The symbols do not tell us how Jesus really looks, but rather they communicate to us how things really are with him. The symbols communicate truth to us, not concerning his actual appearance, but concerning his nature, his character, and his activities.This is one of the most important interpretive principles to remember while we study the book of Revelation. We are handling a book that communicates truth to us by way of symbol. To take the symbols as if they were a literal description of things is to miss the point entirely. Jesus does not have a sword for a tongue, friends. His feet are really flesh and bone and not bronze. I imagine his hair to be dark brown and not white. All that is said here of Jesus is of course true, but it is truth communicated by way of symbol. As I’ve pointed out before, if we take this description to be a literal one – one that actually describes the appearance of Jesus to us – then we run into trouble when Jesus is described differently in other places in the book of Revelation. We must remember that he is described in this way – as one with white hair, bronze feet, and a sword for a tongue – in order to communicate truth to us concerning his person and his work.

Let us now consider this one who walks in the midst of us:

One Like A Son Of Man

In verse 12 we read that John “turned to see the voice that was speaking to [him], and on turning [he] saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man…” (Revelation 1:12–13, ESV). Here is the first description of Jesus who walks in the midst of the churches: He is said to be “one like a son of man”.

On the most basic level we are to understand that John saw a man-like figure. The figure looked like that of a man. But we must also understand that the phrase “son of man” is loaded with biblical significance.

The primary Old Testament text that should come to mind when we hear the phrase “son of man” is Daniel 7. This is especially true given the other points of similarities that exist between Daniel 7 and the vision recorded for us here in Revelation 1. The two passages are clearly connected. Daniel 10 and 3 also seem to serve as a backdrop for the vision of Revelation 1. If you take the time to read all of those texts side by side  – Daniel 3, 7, 10 and Revelation 1:12-20 – you will see what I’m sure you’ll see what I mean. But time constraints hinder us from exploring those texts in detail.

It is important that a brief word be said about Daniel 7 before we move on. There we read of a vision that Daniel the prophet saw long before the birth of Christ.

First he saw four great beasts rising up out of the sea, one after the other. These beasts represent the succession of great kingdoms. Each beast seems to grow more powerful, more ferocious, more terrifying. Indeed the kingdoms of this earth tend in that direction. They tend to degenerate, not improve with the passing of time. And they are temporary, not eternal. One kingdom gives way to another, and so on.

Then there is a break in the vision and Daniel’s eyes are lifted up from the earthly to the heavenly. Daniel is given a glimpse into the heavenly throne room. There he sees the Ancient of Days. He is on the throne. He is ruling and reigning. He is clothed in glory. He is full of power. He is sovereign over the nations that the terrifying beasts represent. He raises them up and puts them down. This is the heavenly reality. This is the view that we are to have of the world in which we live. Kings will rise and fall. Kingdoms will come and go. But our God reigns forever.

Lastly, Daniel

“saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And 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 one that shall not be destroyed.” (Daniel 7:13–14, ESV)

Who is this “one like a son of man”? He is Jesus! And when was this vision fulfilled? It was fulfilled at Christ’s first coming when Christ died, was buried, rose again, and ascended to the right hand of the Father. Daniel was shown a vision of it long before Christ was born. But the event shown to Daniel was fulfilled when Christ ascended to the Father after accomplishing his mission. Christ, at his ascension, “came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him.” And “to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him.” And remember that “His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.”

Is this not what Jesus was speaking of when he said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:18–19, ESV)? Is this not what Paul was referring to when he wrote that, because of Christ’s obedience to the Father to the point of death “God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9–11, ESV)?

Indeed, what Daniel saw in the vision has already been fulfilled at the ascension of Christ. He has already come before the Ancient of Days. He has already been given dominion. His kingdom is already here (remember that John referred to himself as a “partner” in this kingdom (1:9) and that we have been made into a kingdom (1:6)). And remember that Christ’s kingdom is unlike the kingdoms of this world. It is a righteous and holy kingdom, and it is an everlasting kingdom that will never pass away.

Friends, when John describes this figure that he sees walking in the midst of the lampstands as “one like a son of man” he is saying that the one who walks in our midsts is the one that Daniel prophesied about long ago.

Daniel’s vision was concerning things to happen in his future. From his vantage point there would come a day when this “son of man” would come and be presented before the “Ancient of Days”, that is, before God. From Daniels 600 B.C. perspective there would come a day when this “son of man” would be given “dominion and glory and a kingdom… [his] dominion [being] an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.”

John is clearly telling us that this has happened. From his 90 A.D. perspective the “son of man” has already come before the “Ancient of Days”. The “son of man” has already been given “dominion and glory and a kingdom… [his] dominion [being] an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.” What Daniel prophesied about has happened, and now this “one like a son of man” come to us from the Father, being clothed in glory, having all authority and all power, and he is seen standing in the midst of us.

Brothers and sisters, I pray that you are, first of all, able to understand this. I hope these things are clear. Secondly, I pray that you have the faith to really believe it. There is a difference between understanding something and believing it. God’s desire is that his people would believe what his word says. His desire is that we say “yes”, and “Amen” to the truths being communicated – that we would agree that though the kingdoms of this world seem to be so powerful and so threatening, our Lord reigns. Christ reigns supreme, and he stands in the midst of his people as he advances his kingdom in this world.  But thirdly, I pray that you have the wisdom to apply these truths to your life. May your belief in these truths be such that your hearts be filled with hope and peace as we walk in this troubled world.

Jesus Christ is the “son of man” described in Daniel 7. He reappears in the vision shown to John recorded for us in Revelation 1. He is the “son of man” but things have progressed. He has ascended to the “Ancient of Days”. The eternal kingdom has been given to him. He now has all “dominion and glory”. It is he who is standing in the midst of the lampstands – that is, in the midst of the churches.

Clothed With A Long Robe And A Golden Sash

Notice his appearance. He is said to be “clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest.” He is dressed like a priest and a king. And this is what Christ is. He is our prophet, priest, and king.

His prophetic office is clearly represented elsewhere in this text. His “voice” is often emphasized, and that is what a prophet does – a prophet speaks the word of God. But he is dressed like a king with a “golden sash around his chest”. He is our king. He rules and reigns now. He is the sovereign. He has all dominion, power, and authority. And notice that he wears the robe of a priest. Christ is our great high priest. He has atoned for our sins. He is the mediator between God and man. He intercedes for us.

And where is this priestly king? He is walking in the midst of the lampstands, which stand for the churches. One of the jobs of the priests in the Old Covenant was to tend to the seven pronged lampstand in the holy place in the temple. The wicks would need to be trimmed and the oil refilled so that the flame would burn continuously. This is what Christ, our great high priest, does with his churches. He walks in the midst of them. He tends to them through encouragement and exhortation so that they would shine bright in this world.

The Hairs Of His Head Were White Like Wool

Notice that the “hairs of his head” are said to be “white, like white wool, like snow”. This is interesting because in Daniel 7 it is the “Ancient of Days” (that is, God) who is said to have hair that is “white like wool”. Here the “son of man” possess this feature. We are to see that, although the “Ancient of Days” and the “son of man” are distinct from one another, they are also related. The “son of man” is indeed “God with us”. He possess eternal life. “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to him” by the Father. He stands in the midst of us having first stood before the “Ancient of Days”. And he stands in the midst of us with God’s authority.

His Eyes Were Like A Flame Of Fire

Notice that “his eyes were like a flame of fire”. Here we have a metaphor of judgement. Christ sees all, and he will one day judge in righteousness and truth. Earthly judges judge with a limited understanding of things. Their perspective and their knowledge are limited. But Christ sees all and he judges according to truth.

Indeed, the book of Revelation describes a final judgment. Indeed, Christ will judge all fully and finally at the end of time. But Revelation also speaks of Christ’s perpetual judgments. He is judging now.

That is, in fact, the very thing that we will find the “son of man” doing as he walks in the midst of the churches. He inspects his churches. He brings encouragement to them, yes. But he also warns them. For example, to the Ephesian church he will say, “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent” (Revelation 2:5, ESV).

Christ is judging now. And he judges according to what he sees with his all seeing and all consuming eyes of fire.

His Feet Were Like Burnished Bronze

In verse 15 we read that “his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace” (Revelation 1:15, ESV). Perhaps this symbolizes the fact that Christ walks in the midst of us in holiness. His feet are refined. His churches will be called to also walk in purity.

But when I read that the feet of Christ have been “refined in a furnace” I cannot help but think of that most famous story in the book of Daniel involving those three faithful servants of God named Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Those three were threatened by the beast of Babylon and by the powerful king Nebuchadnezzar. They were commanded to bow down and worship before the statute that Nebuchadnezzar had erected. If they refused they would be throne alive in to the fiery furnace. Their reply?

“Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, ‘O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”” (Daniel 3:16–18, ESV)

The king was enraged. He ordered that the furnace be heated exceedingly hot and he had them thrown in.

“Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” They answered and said to the king, ‘True, O king.’ He answered and said, ‘But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.’” (Daniel 3:24–25, ESV)

Friends, do you see that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were not alone in their tribulation? Christ walked in the midst of them and he sustained them in their tribulation. Here, I think, is the meaning of Christ feet appearing like “burnished bronze, refined in a furnace.”

His Voice Was Like The Roar Of Many Waters

The voice of Christ is described as the “roar of many waters”. I’d like to go to Niagara Falls someday. That is what I think of when I read of the “roar of many waters” – a great and overwhelming roar. Indeed, the word of Christ is powerful. At his word the worlds were created. At his word kingdoms rise and fall. At his word the dead souls of men are made to live. At his word the world will be judged. Certainly, his word is powerful.

In His Right Hand He Held Seven Stars

In his right hand Christ holds seven stars. These seven stars, we will learn, represent the “angels of the seven churches” (see verse 20).

Some say that we are to think of the pastors of the seven churches being in Christ’s right hand. The reason for this interpretation is that in the Greek the word translated “angels” is sometimes used to refer to “pastors”. The word literally means “messenger” and it can be used to refer to a angels – that is, of heavenly beings. Or it can refer to humans who serve as God’s messengers to his people.

Though as a pastor I like the idea of being held in Christ’s right hand, it seems best to think of these stars as representing heavenly beings.  Every other time this Greek word appears in Revelation outside of chapters 1- 3 it is clearly referring to heavenly beings. We will see that these angels will actually represent the churches themselves. It is interesting to note that each of the letters written to the churches in chapters 2 and 3 will be addressed to the “angel of the” particular church. “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write… And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write…”(Revelation 2:1,8 ESV), and so on and so forth.

The meaning is this: Christ not only walks in the midst of his churches. He also holds them in his hand. And the churches on earth have heavenly representatives. Though we live on earth, really and truly we live in the presence of God. There is a spiritual realm that corresponds to the earthly realm. There is more to the world than meets the eye. We see powerful rulers and nations, but there exists an invisible reality which stands behind those rulers and nations that empowers them. We see local churches, but there exists a spiritual reality which stands behind those churches and empowers them. Christ called his churches out of this world to worship and serve him by the word and Spirit, and he refines his churches in the same way. He also sends his angels – his ministering spirits – to do his bidding.

From His Mouth Came A Sharp Two-edged Sword

From Christ’s mouth comes a sharp two-edged sword. Would you listen to Isaiah 11 which prophesied concerning the coming of the Christ long before he came? The prophet spoke, saying,

“There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear, but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.” (Isaiah 11:1–4, ESV)

And listen to Isaiah 49:1:3 which also speaks of the coming of Christ:

“Listen to me, O coastlands, and give attention, you peoples from afar. The Lord called me from the womb, from the body of my mother he named my name. He made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me a polished arrow; in his quiver he hid me away. And he said to me, ‘You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified.’” (Isaiah 49:1–3, ESV)

The writer to the Hebrews puts it this way:

“The word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” (Hebrews 4:12–13, ESV)

Christ judges us now and will judge in the end with the word of his mouth. His word is likened to a sharp sword which cuts this way and that.

His Face Was Like The Sun Shining In Full Strength

Lastly notice that Christ’s face is said to be “like the sun shining in full strength”. There is a connection between this imagey and Daniel 10. But the wording is most closely tied to Judges 5:31  which says, “So may all your enemies perish, O Lord! But may they who love you be like the sun when it rises in its strength” (Judges 5:31, NIV84). This statement appears in the book of Judge at the end of the song of Deborah and Barak which celebrates Israel’s victory over her enemies.

The meaning is this: Christ is portrayed here in Revelation 1:16 as standing in the glory of his victory. Deborah was victorious, but Christ is the ultimate victor. He is our warrior king. He is the victorious Messiah, standing now in the full glory of his victory.

Conclusion

Friends, we are not alone. How do feel about that now that you know a bit more about the one in our midst?

Are you encouraged? There is indeed reason to be encouraged. Be encouraged, friends, knowing that the risen Lord is in our midsts.

But it is possible that you feel a sense of shame. Certainly if you have been living in rebellion the thought of Christ in the midst of us brings guilt. Repent if this is true of you. Know that our Lord stands ready to forgive.

One thing I know, we should all grow in our reverence. When we gather as a congregation to worship we have an honored guest in our midsts. He walks among us. He is the object of our worship. He inspects his churches and seeks to refine. Let us gather on the Lord’s Day with reverence, then. Let us worship in Spirit and in truth as he has ordained. May he be pleased with us as we worship and obey.