SURVEY OF CHAPTER 1

[McGuiggan: Chapter 1 is essentially an introduction in which John says hello to his readers and gives them the occasion for the epistle. He claims he saw a vision of Jesus and that Jesus told him to write the letter to the seven churches of Asia.]

Here in chapter 1, we see that John hears this voice and he turns and he looks and he sees someone that he refers to as the “Son of Man” [verse 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.”]. John will describe something about His appearance—how He looked. One of the things he mentions there is that His feet were as one who had walked through the fiery furnace, chapter 1, verse 15 [“His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters;”]. We might be reminded of Daniel, chapter 3, verse 17 [“If that is the case, our God Whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king.”]. There is a relationship between the book of Revelation, the book of Daniel and Ezekiel, and so on. But here we might be reminded of the One Who appeared in the fiery furnace when Daniel and his friends were there, and this One delivered them.

He is also shown to be the Redeemer Who was alive, then “dead,” and now is “alive forevermore,” verse 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.”]. And what a comfort these words would have been to 1^st Century Christians who were being intensely persecuted at this time. They were being persecuted, they were being imprisoned, and they were even being killed for the cause of the Lord. They might be put to death in any number of ways, including death by gladiators in the arena of Rome or devoured by a wild beast, or, even in some cases, be crucified, have their heads cut off, be burned at the stake—whatever would please the Caesar of the day. But by the power of God, they, too, would raise from the dead. The bars of death could not hold the Christ, nor could the bars of death prevent Christians from living with Him—with the Master—with the Christ—forevermore. The cause of the Savior is more powerful than all of the demons in hell, than all the rulers of the earth. This was the Message—or is the Message, rather, of the book of Revelation. But it would have been much more palpable—it would have resonated much more with these ones in the 1^st Century than perhaps it does with us today. Paul beautifully tells the saints in Corinth that, “death is swallowed up in victory” by the power of Christ, 1 Corinthians 15 [verse 54: “So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’”].

The book of Revelation opens with this grand and glorious Message of hope. If Christians are called upon to die for Christ, it is no strange thing, because He had already died for them. Truly, “by the grace of God,” Jesus “tasted death” for ever man, Hebrews 2, verse 9 [“But we see Jesus, Who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.”].

SURVEY OF CHAPTERS 2 AND 3

[McGuiggan: Chapters 2-3 are directed to the state and the needs of those seven churches. Where commendation is called for, Jesus gives it. Where censure is earned, He gives that also.]

Chapters 2 and 3 of Revelation speak primarily about the Son of God, and His observations of these seven churches. Contained here in chapter 2, verse 10 is one of the great and inspirational statements of all the Bible, “Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life,” [“Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”]

In the first paragraph of chapter 3, we learn of the solemn fact that some names that were once recorded in the Lamb’s Book of Life may be blotted out by the Lord, due to impurity and lack of dedication [verses 1-6: “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, ‘These things says He Who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you. You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’”]. But beautifully and poignantly in chapter 3, verse 20, we see that the Savior is pleading for entrance into every heart. “Behold,” He says, “I stand at the door and knock. [If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.”].