Your Radiant Lord: Revelation 1:9-20

This passage strives to set before us in words the glory of the indescribable Jesus Christ. John comes closer to experiencing this than we, and his response in v. 17 is to fall down at the feet of Christ as though he were dead. But Jesus lays His right hand on John and tells him not to be afraid, restoring John through His touch.

John sees our radiant Lord among the lampstands (v. 13), and the seven lampstands represent the seven churches mentioned later. But seven is the number of completion, so God is not speaking only to these seven churches, but to the whole church--us as well. No light, even in the twenty-first century, is self-sustaining, and the lamps of old required much tending, with their wick, oil, and stands. This One among the lampstands is tending them, ensuring that they continue to provide light. It is interesting to note here that Jesus is depicted as being among the churches--not individuals. The churches have been created by God the Father and are tended by Jesus, the Son.

And John tells us that this One among the lampstands is like the Son of Man (v. 13). This reference to Jesus is rooted in the Old Testament book of Daniel, chapter 7. The name emphasizes the divinity of Jesus Christ and His power and everlasting dominion over all the nations. The Son of Man appears in His glory, and again there are similarities here between this description of the Son of Man and the Ancient of Days (God the Father) of Daniel 7. We should note that the Ancient of Days and the Son of Man are described in similar terms. The robe the Son of Man wears displays His authority and power in His offices of prophet, priest, and king, all at once. The white hair commands respect, and His eyes of fire are the eyes of judgment. The seven stars in His hand demonstrate the absolute power of Jesus Christ. These are simply pictures that John saw literally, but they are a reflection of the reality behind them.

Again, John's response is to fall before Him with fear, and it would be natural to be terrified. But Christ reaches out to him and says, gently, "Do not be afraid." He declares His power in telling John that "I AM the first and the last," but He also demonstrates His love. We learn of Christ's work because He holds the keys of judgment. We will continue to learn more of this radiant Lord through the message He gives to John--the things which he has seen which are (Jesus in His exalted state) and things which will take place.