The vision of the Glorified Christ
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- Other References
The testimony of Jesus Christ is also called the spirit of prophesy."...the testimony
of Jesus is the spirit of prophesy" (Revelation19:10)
Its a prophesy of things yet to come, Its a gift, we read in (1Corinthians1:5,6)
"ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; even as the testimony of Christ is confirmed in you"
The testimony of Jesus is revealed in 4parts in revelation chapter1
- The revelation of Jesus Christ as the Triune God .this revelation is a general one for everybody.
- The revelation of His coming as the Judge to convict the world of sin,"...every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him." this revelation is especially for the sinner
- The revelation of Jesus Christ as the Almighty God, the Alpha and Omega; here we see his Omnipotence in the full sense of the Godhead .this revelation is in relation with the believer.
- The Revelation of Jesus as the Glorious Lord. this is relation to his bride, the church
John had this vision when the church was in the midst of persecutions
"John, To the seven churches in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne" (Rev1:4)
Grace and Peace are two things essential for those undergoing persecution. Grace is essential for maintenance of the Christian life ,because it begins with grace and continues in grace. when we fall from grace we cease to be upheld by God. thereafter we try to rest on own own work. when we live in grace we always have a grateful heart and realize our unworthiness and that we are made worthy by the blood of the lamb.
grace and peace are given by the Triune God .the Church was must first know God.'....Him which is, and which was, and which is to come'(Rev1:14)
'...he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarded of them that diligently seek him' (Heb11:6)
He is- he lives
He was- he knows our past
He is to come-he holds our future
Seven speaks of perfection. the very purpose the Holy spirit is given to us. the seven spirits are before the throne of God. so he can make us throne worthy. The seven spirits of God are also represented by the seven eyes and seven horns if the Lamb (Rev5:6)
Eyes show Wisdom
'But we speak the Wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory' (1Cor.2:7)
Horns points to Strength and Power
Gifts of power
divine healing, miracles and tongues are the gifts of power
'And from Jesus Christ ,who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the Kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed is form our sins in his own blood' (Rev1:5)
Faithful witness because he revealed everything to us, He was made like us that was the reason we were made in his image so he could be with us, But due to sin man fell below the angles. and here Jesus had to be made a little lower than the angles ,but now crowned with glory, not because He was God because he humbled himself and took the human form ,and became a bond servant. he became obedient unto death even the death on the cross. where fore he received a name above every name, having been raised far above all heavens.see(Phil2:8-10)
And he sanctified us, Christ is a mystery. This mystery is revealed to apostles and prophets; Which in other ages was not known to sons of men as it now is.
Christ in the midst of the seven candlesticks (Rev1:10-16)
'I was in the spirit on the lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet' (Rev1:10)
The Trumpet was blown to prepare the people for a convocation. or for a journey or for war. the trumpet sound of the message of Christ must go form the church to make the world ready. our holiness and sanctification by Christ speaks to the world as a trumpet. The church that prepares itself for the coming of the Lord is a living witness to the world
'And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, Clothed with garment down to the foot, and grit about the pap's with a golden girdle,' (Rev1:13)
The Lord was seen walking in the midst of the candlesticks. The seven candlesticks represent the seven Churches(Rev1:20).Christ represents the High Priest who walked by the candlestick to pour oil and to trim the lamps etc.(Is42:3) says 'A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto the truth'
He was 'clothed with a garment down to the foot,' the garment down to the foot denotes perfection in holiness, we must have a revelation of the holiness of the Lord. we are called to be holy even as he is holy(1Peter1:16) this vision should be always before us. resist the devil and he will flee form us.
He was 'grit about the pap's with a golden girdle'. like a mother who nurses her children so does our lord cares and feeds his Church. He knows to feed you according to your spiritual condition. All that is needed is to have intimacy with the lord in prayer and by sound doctrine followed by the church.
'His head and his hairs were white as wool, and white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;'(Rev1:14)
'His head and his hairs were white like wool' in (Daniel 7:9) we see the same description of the Ancient of days -God the father. The word Ancient is indicative of wisdom. Jesus is also revealed as the 'Ancient of Days'. the prophet Micah prophesized But thou,Behtlehem,Ephratah,though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old ,from everlasting'(Micah5:2)
This revelation is given to us to show that everything He does is according to his Wisdom. we cannot comprehend his wisdom. He knows what's best for us.
'And his eyes were as a lame of fire' nothing is hidden form the lord everything is clear as daylight and nothing is hidden to Him. He can see through darkness, in the Home page you have seen the scripture which says about the light of the world which says that darkness comprehends it not, but the light of Jesus can comprehend even the darkness. He is the Word as (Hebrews4:12) says '........,and is discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.' that's why we read 'whosoever loveth and maketh a lie' (Rev22:15) cannot enter into the city of New Jerusalem. The very thought of iniquity is sin. our fall starts from the inward parts. Our life of victory must begin I our thoughts.
'And his feet like unto fine brass, as if burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters' (Rev1:15)
'And his feet like unto fine brass' this speaks of being firm in judgment. 'I have trodden the winepress alone' (Is63:3).St Paul says 'Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men(IICor5:11). The Lord in his goodness does not pass judgment immediately but at the same time he does not wink at sin. Such a vision makes us walk in fear of the Lord.
'Many waters' show might (Ps29:3) this denotes the power of Christ and His might. Similarly , his servants who stand with him on mount Zion also posses the same power and might and hence their voice will also be 'as the sounds of many waters'(Rev14:2)
'And he had in his right hand seven stars ;and out of his mouth went a sharp two edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength' (Rev1:16)
'And he had in his right hand seven stars '.
the seven stars are the seven angels of the seven churches(Rev1:20).Being 'in his right hand' means to be upheld by the Lord. Servants of God must realize that they are kept Preserved by the Lord. Our fall starts when we think that we have done something by out won ability, and sever ourselves from his fellowship.
'And out of his mouth went a sharp two edged sword:' 'The word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit' (Hebrews4:12)
'And his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength' The face is the index of ones heart and mind. The brightness of His countenance manifest His inward life. It reveals also His righteousness. The Gory of God shone in the face of Jesus (IICor 4:6) because the very life of God or His character was in Him. Now this glory is in our hearts, and being changes form glory to glory we shall be like him.
We also read that He is the possessor of the 'Keys of hell and death' (Rev1:18) The devil does not have the power over death or even hell because Christ overcame both.
This vision of the Glorious Lord is revealed only to the Church. she must imbibe it in order to reach the standard of Jesus. We must live the life and thus set the standard. It was for his purpose that this vision was given to the church.
'Write these things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter; the mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest I my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angles of the seven churches; and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches' (Rev1:19,20)
'The seven golden candlesticks' are the seven churches ofAsia.The church of Christ is a mystery. Many do not understand the meaning of the church which is the body of Christ, Which is a Living organism. Being baptized into one body by the Holy spirit, we belong to God. That means offering even our lives till death to God. It sounds foolish to those who do not belong got the mystical church. The church is a mystery revealed only to the children of God who realize the Preciousness of Consercration,Holiness etc.The Messages are for the seven churches.
Church -Candlestick
candlestick gives light to the tabernacle, Church has to give light to the world which is in darkness. in the tabernacle the candlestick remained in the holy place.
all the seven (Perfect) churches are urges to be ready for his coming
and in (Rev1:11) these churches were in existence during the time John wrote the messages.
and he also said that 'I am the alpha and Omega, the first and the last;....' (Rev1:11)
So the conclusion is that the messages to these seven churches are also meant for us who have come to the end time. At the end of each message he said
'He that hath an ear ' means he who has the willingness to do what the Lord says.
Jesus spoke in parables to the Pharisees who had ears to hear but were void of understanding,becaus they were not willing to obey God's commandments.
God bless you for reading with understanding, I pray the Ephesians prayer (Eph1:18)
All the cross-
References are from Bible Gateway form the New International Version
Study extracts are from the Book
'The Exposition of
Revelation'
By pastor
Jacob
Ratnasingam