In the first eight verses of the Revelation we found the superscription, salutation, and solemn preface of the book. Now we come to the body of it and the first and dominant vision: the Vision of the Son of Man.

      "I, John, your brother and fellow partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance which are in Jesus." This is the introductory sentence. Banished to the lonely, barren island of Patmos in the Aegean (Icarian) sea is John--"I, John," well known to all without further title or description; and although an apostle, yet simply a brother, and sharer along with other brethren in Christ in the same trials and sufferings, in the same privilege and promise, in the same task and test. No distinctive title adorns his simple name. He is not an ecclesiastical dignitary: not a prince or magnate of the church: not a be-titled clergyman--only and simply "His bond-servant John" (v. 1) and "John your brother."

      "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day," he continues. By this is meant a state of special inspiration and ecstatic vision granted to him through the Spirit of God, later on again referred to in 4:2; 17:3; 21:10. (Compare Matthew 22:43; Ezekiel 37:1.) Some have thought that John was carried away "in the Spirit" into the midst of the scenes of the "Day of the Lord"--that "great and terrible day." Others call attention to the difference in the Greek--not "hemera tou kuriou," the day of the Lord; but "kuriake hemera," indicates a day consecrated to, and belonging to the Lord; in the very earliest Christian writings (Didache, [8] Ep. of Barnabas, et al.) recognized as the day of Christ's resurrection, the first day of the week, the day when Christians met to break bread (Acts 20:7). It is sufficient to note that, in the first vision and through chapter 3 at least, John was evidently not transported into the Day of the Lord, but was occupied with things then present and still present: the conditions of the churches. (Strictly the Day of the Lord does not break till the Lord Himself appears to execute vengeance and judgment in chapter 19:11ff.)

      And thus, on the Lord's Day, being "in the Spirit," John heard behind him a great Voice, like a trumpet (many a "great voice" is heard in this book) announcing the first vision and commissioning the apostle to write it in a book and send it to the seven churches: "Write in a book what you see, and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea." All he was to see was to be sent to all the seven. Seven separate messages, one to each church, follow; yet they were not to be separated: all must read all.

      Moreover, there is significance in this "write in a book." It was not an oral message to be heard once. Nor was it a written message of merely present and temporary importance, but it must be written in a book for the church to have, to read, to keep, through all the coming days. Thus was Jeremiah commanded to write in a book the visions that were for a consolation of Israel in the future years (Jeremiah 30:1-3). The book makes a message permanent--a constant treasure of truth and comfort "till He come."

      Now John turns to "see the voice"--and having turned HE SAW: first of all, seven golden lampstands. But in the midst of the golden lampstands he saw a wondrous figure: one like unto a son of man (the same words as in Daniel 7:13--a significant fact, indicating the close relation of this book to Daniel's prophecies). There follows a nine-fold description of His Person:

1. Clothed in a robe reaching to His feet,
2. Girded around His chest with a golden sash,
3. His head and his hair were white like wool, as white as snow;
4. His eyes were like blazing fire;
5. His feet were like bronze, glowing in a furnace,
6. His voice was like the sound of rushing waters.
7. He held in His right hand seven stars.
8. Out of His mouth came a sharp double-edged sword.
9. His face was like the sun shining in all its strength.

      Here is symbolism. The description is not so much intended to give us a picture of the external appearance of our Lord's Person. The various descriptive items by which He is here portrayed are not such as would lend themselves to the art of the painter or sculptor.¹

      But these descriptions are, in part at least, symbolic, emblematic of His Divine dignity, power, office, and character. The meaning of some of these items is obvious: some are explained here or farther on or elsewhere in the scriptures.

      But though the Son of Man is here presented to us in symbolic array, note well that all is not symbolic, nor is He Himself symbolic. It was actually the Lord Himself whom John saw, not merely a symbolic vision representing Him. It was the same Person whom Stephen had seen standing at God's right hand, and Saul saw on the road to Damascus. The glory of His face also "like the sun shining in all its strength" was simple, sober fact.

      Beware of the false assumption that says, "If any part of a scripture is symbolical, then all is; and if any is literal all is literal." Such a principle is entirely misleading. We shall constantly find symbolism grouped around central literal fact; and literal truth woven into symbolic texture.²

      But flesh and blood could not endure such glory. "When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man." In the presence of even one of the angelic princes Daniel fell dumbfounded to the earth, and all his strength was turned into helpless weakness. (Daniel 10:8, 9.) How overwhelming then must be the unveiled glory of the Son of God! No wonder Paul tells us (2 Thessalonians 2:8) that the Lawless One shall be destroyed by the splendor of Christ's coming (literally, "the outshining of His presence"). But for John is the welcome, reassuring word, "Do not be afraid," and the gentle, reviving touch of His right hand. No--we have nothing to fear, for this is He who loved us and gave Himself for us. [9]

      "Do not be afraid," He says to John, "I am the first and the last, and the living One" (titles belonging exclusively to God, yet openly applied to our Lord Jesus Christ: He and the Father are of one glory, John 17:5); "I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades."

      To the conqueror are delivered up the keys of the fallen fortress and citadel, in token of his right and authority over it. So holds the Lord Jesus authority over the realm of Death, and the keys of the gates of Hades. At His command the dead come forth (John 5:28); at His command the eternal prison gates swing open and release their prey (Romans 14:9). "THEREFORE WRITE!" "Go therefore," He says in Matthew 28:19. On what ground shall they go? "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go." And on what ground shall John write? "I am the First and the Last. I am the Living one; I was dead, and behold I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. "Therefore, write."

      All the books of the New Testament are alike given by the inspiration of the Spirit; but behind none other is so specific and solemn a commission to write. This is not the book to be ignored.

      In giving John the commission to write, the Lord also laid out for him and for us the ground plan and division of the book: "Therefore write."

1. "the things which you have seen,
2. "the things which are,
3. "and the things which will take place after these things."

      The first part includes things John had seen. What had John seen thus far? Obviously it is nothing else than the Vision of the Son of man, which he records in verses 10-18.

      The last of the three sections, the things future, obviously begins at chapter 4:1, which see.

      The middle one, deals with "things which are." or things present. Therefore, "things which are." lies between chapters one and four. This division, so clearly marked, is important to our understanding of the whole book.

      Some have disputed this division. That is not strange; there is not a verse or statement in the book that has not been controverted.³

      John had seen something--namely, the vision of the glorified Lord; and he was told to write that, and did so. That makes the first division of the book.

      The next two chapters (2 & 3) do actually refer to "things which are."--present existing church conditions--which makes the second division of the book.

      And the third--"the things which will take place after these things." That is, after the things of chapters 2 and 3. This third division is specifically introduced at 4:1--"Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this." (Greek meta tauta, the same expression as in 1:19).

      Therefore, the division or outline of the Revelation as given by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself is:

I.	THINGS WHICH JOHN SAW	Chapter 1
II.	THE THINGS WHICH ARE	Chapters 2 & 3
III.	THINGS FUTURE	Chapters 4-22

      Let us hold fast, then, to this simple, three-fold division of the book. It is God's own division of it, and necessary to a proper understanding of the Revelation.

      But before He begins the second division--"the things which are"--the Lord adds an explanation of the significance of the stars in His right hand, and the seven golden lampstands. (1:20.)

      The mystery of the seven stars: In the New Testament "mystery" does not mean an enigmatical, incomprehensible thing, but a previously unrevealed thing; a secret, now disclosed. "The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches." But there is a difficulty in determining what or who is the angel of a church. The commonest meaning, a messenger (2 Corinthians 8:23; Philippians 2:25), does not seem to apply here: these angels are more important personages. Moreover, we send messages by a messenger; but the messages that follow are addressed to the angel. Nor is it a heavenly angel, for obvious [10] reasons. However, this need not detain us. Sufficient to recognize that the angel in each case is a representative of the church, and seems more or less responsible for what the church does.⁴

      But "the seven lampstands are the seven churches." They were of gold--as were all the furnishings of the inner sanctuary of the Tabernacle and the Temple where God's presence dwelt. They were lightbearers; for the church is the pillar and the ground of the truth. (1 Timothy 3:15.)

      Beyond this lies more to challenge our inquiry and attention. Why are they seven? We think at once of the seven-armed candlestick that stood in the Holy Place of the Tabernacle. But that was one candlestick, all its branches uniting in one central stem. Here we have seven separate ones--each representing a church. This is significant. It proclaims loudly the great principle of congregational independence. Each candlestick stands on its own base, carries its own light, and is entirely independent and distinct from the others.

      Though all co-operate in sending forth the light, each congregation of His church stands as a separate entity before God. In the messages that follow no single church is criticized or commended for what another does; nor is one directly affected for good or ill by the faithfulness or disobedience of another. Each church is autonomous: there is no visible centralized government that controls the congregations. This fundamental, God-ordained constitution of the church cannot be violated or even tampered with without disastrous consequences. It is one of the safeguards of the church's purity and spiritual power.

      But though as to their visible state separate and independent, the lampstands are nevertheless joined together. They do after all form a unity, a "seven-armed candlestick." The central stem is there--clearly seen by John: it is the Son of man in the middle of the lampstands. They are not one in earthly connection: they are one in Him, and in a sevenfold inward unity of the Spirit (Ephesians 4:4-6). The many churches (congregations) become in Him the Church Universal.

      But why just seven? The question is not yet answered. "John to the seven churches in the province of Asia . . . Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches . . . I saw seven golden lampstands and among the lampstands was someone 'like a son of man.'"

      Did the Son of man walk only in the midst of these seven? Were there no others? Was He not in the same relation to them all? Did He not hold all their stars in His right hand? Were there no other churches in "Asia"? What about Colossae? What about Hierapolis? Or the hundreds of other congregations in the world--are they not included in this scene which John saw nor in the messages that follow? Certainly they are.

      Then why limit to the seven? The answer lies in the symbolic value of the number seven; and in the representative character of these seven churches. We have already had a reference to the "seven Spirits of God" (1:4; 3:1). But we know of a certainty that there is but one Spirit. The "seven Spirits" represent the One Spirit in His totality and perfection, in all His offices and functions:

      Seven is the number of perfection and completion. Seven rounds out a cycle and makes a whole. There are many series of sevens running through this book, and we shall have occasion to observe that in every case the seven signifies a fullness.

      So here. The seven churches are representative of all the churches, then or since or now. In those seven all are included, from the worst to the best and every degree between, answering to all possible conditions and situations in which the church may ever be found. The cycle of all the phases of the One Church is summed up and completed in these "seven churches that are in Asia," and what is said to them is said to all.

      In Jesus we share the suffering, the kingdom, the patient endurance. We have been translated into the kingdom of God's dear Son, (Colossians 1:13) and thus we share in the kingdom even now. But "Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22). By faith and patience we inherit the promises. "Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord's coming" (James 5:7). Patience is the "key-note of the hour." Revelation is the book to sustain the Christian's patience.

      The Living One. He dieth no more; death no more has dominion over Him. How much that means to us! "Because I live, you will live also" (John 14:19). "We shall be saved by His life" (Romans 5:10). [11] He is able to save to the uttermost all those who draw near unto God through Him because "He always lives to make intercession for them" (Hebrews 7:25). And, united to the Living One--"He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life" (1 John 5:12.) "With You is the fountain of life." (Psalms 36:9).

      "On the island called Patmos . . . I, John, your brother and fellow partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance." "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). In this lies an indication of the purpose of the Apocalypse.

      It is night. Stars shine at night. Lampstands are used at night. It is night now. The world lies in darkness and in the shadow of death. "Watchman, how far gone is the night?" The book has an important bearing of the answer to this question.

      There is no light provided to illuminate the world's awful night in this dispensation, except that of the lampstands, the churches, and individual members who "appear as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life" (Philippians 2:15, 16). The Lord Jesus is the Light of the world; yet He does not Himself shine directly in the world, but in and through His own. On them He depends to illuminate this darkness for Him. "For you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light" (Ephesians 5:8).

Our Father: We have undertaken to study a book which You have sent to Your servants, in which the Spirit is showing us things that are to come. We deeply feel our dependence on You as we enter upon this sacred ground. Help us come with reverence and earnest purpose: not in idle curiosity, nor yet as despising the message of prophecy. Help us to read, to hear, to keep these words that we may obtain the promised blessing. Help us to receive it with simple heart and see it with single eye; for as our hearts are, so will our understanding be. May we get a truer knowledge of You and of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ; of Your purposes and Your work, that we may work in line with Your aims and plans. May we learn from it that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed to us. May we see, in the light of the end here revealed, the solemn meaning of all that now is. May we seek and find in it that which will draw us closer to You in life and work and faithful, earnest service. Make it a blessing to us, and us a blessing in the world, for Jesus' sake. Amen.

[TR4R 8-12]