Grace and Peace

“At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps. 16:11)

“And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.” (Revelation 1:17–18, KJV 1900)

Understandably, when John saw this vision he simply collapsed. The vision was overpowering, and John fell down, virtually dead. But the Lord—for He here clearly identifies Himself as the Lord Jesus—laid His right hand on John. This is the same right hand that holds the seven stars, who are the pastors of the seven churches in Asia. When the Lord touched John with His right hand, His first words were “fear not.” The vision preceding provided ample reasons for collapsing, but the words that follow were the Lord’s encouragement to rise up and “write.” The vision was overwhelming; the words were enabling. [Read more…]

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Grace and Peace

“At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps. 16:11)

“And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength” (Rev. 1:16).

The description of Jesus Christ continues in the same vein. Here we learn three more things about Him—that Jesus holds seven stars in His right hand, and that a sharp two-edged sword comes out of His mouth, and that His face was shining like the sun in its full strength. [Read more…]

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Grace and Peace

“At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps. 16:11)

“His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters” (Rev. 1:14–15).

A vivid description is given of the Lord Jesus, and in true apocalyptic colors. He wore a long robe, down the feet. The color of the robe is not specified here, but He had a golden sash around His chest. Both His head and hair were white, strikingly white—white like wool, white like snow. His eyes were fiery flames, and His feet were like refined brass just out of the furnace. His voice was like the sound of many waters. [Read more…]

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Grace and Peace

“At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps. 16: 11)

“And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.” (Rev. 1:12–13).

John has heard a loud voice, a voice like a trumpet. He turns to see who is speaking, and the speaker is obliquely identified as the Lord Jesus. The first thing John saw was the collection of lampstands. These lampstands are identified just a few verses down as the seven church of Asia to which John is writing (v. 20). This vision of the Lord includes a number of vivid descriptions that run into the next verses, which we will get to shortly, but for now it should simply be said that the one who spoke, telling John to write to the seven churches, was the Lord Himself. He is identified as one “like a son of man,” which is how the Messiah is described in Daniel 7:13 when He was presented before the Ancient of Days and was given universal dominion (Dan. 7:14). [Read more…]

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Grace and Peace

“At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps. 16:11)

“I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.” (Revelation 1:10–11).

John begins to tell us the beginning of the vision. He had been exiled to Patmos, and on a particular Lord’s Day, he was in the Spirit. This tells us, incidentally, that there is a day set apart for the Lord, the first day of the week, the day He rose from the dead, which is to say, Sunday. John was in the Spirit, which is to say he was in a trance, capable of seeing the vision that he saw. [Read more…]

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