Remembering Revelation : Vision of the Glorified Christ
Remembering Revelation : Vision of the Glorified Christ
“I , John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was in the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. On the Lord’s day I was in the spirit and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, which said : ‘Write on the scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.’ I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands was someone “like a son of man,” dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest, His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing water. In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance, When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: ‘Do not be afraid 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.”
Revelation 1:9-18
The Book of Revelation was written about AD 94-96. During this period all the apostles have died except the Apostle John. The emperor of Rome was a cold blooded murderer named Domitian. He promoted “emperor worship” and insisted on being addressed as Lord and God. This started the wave of persecution against Christians who made a stand to recognize Jesus as the only Lord and God.
Emperor Domitian had the Apostle John arrested and exiled at Patmos, an island penal colony where prisoners were forced to work in mines. When the Christians were in desperate need of encouragement, the Book of Revelation came out.
The Book of Revelation closes the canon and the history of the New Testament. Regardless of whether or not it was the last in order to be written, it is final in its thought, for it embodies the expectation of a church that has been launched in the world as an institution and that was awaiting eagerly the consummation of its mission.
The author according to his personal testimony was the Apostle John and was an eyewitness of the things that he said. He was in Patmos, a rocky island off the coast of Greece, where he had been incarcerated because of his faith. While there he was given the vision which he described and was ordered to transmit it to the seven churches of Asia.
The Vision of the “Glorified Christ”
In this vision , Christ was dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet with a golden sash around his chest. This vision reveals Christ kingship, majesty and royalty. Christ here is pictured as the ultimate King, His kingdom is the one that will reign forever and ever. All earthly kingdoms and governments are bound to end but Christ is destined to rule throughout all eternity.
Christ head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow and His eyes were like blazing fire. In Daniel 7:9, God the Father here was described by Daniel as someone with a hair as white like the wool . He was called in the vision as the “Ancient of Days” which implies as someone from eternity. In this passage of Revelation , Christ head and hair was described as white as wool, which implies that Christ is from eternity, just like the Father. His eyes were like blazing fire which implies that nothing is hidden from His penetrating eyes. His blazing eyes purify the filthiness of one’s soul who surrendered to His refining process.
Christ feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held the seven stars and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword . Christ face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.
I wonder how the sound of rushing waters like ? Maybe it is like the sound of the rushing of the waters of the Niagara Falls. When John saw this vision he was so overwhelmed that he fell at his feet as though he was dead. Seemingly upon seeing the vision of the glorified Christ Apostle John lost all his strength. It was just so overwhelming.
This vision of the glorified Christ is in sharp contrast of the Christ child in a manger and the crucified Christ at calvary. The Christ child in a manger and the crucified Christ at calvary pictures Christ frailty as a human being. When Christ came to the world, He emptied himself of His glory and power and became completely dependent upon the Father and the Holy Spirit. Christ humbly took the form of frail humanity and for awhile forsook His glory to offer His body as a sacrifice for the remission and forgiveness of our sins. He did this so that it will enable us to be a partaker of the Kingdom of God and become heir of eternal life.
But the true Christ is the One revealed to John in this vision, awesome, powerful, mighty and glorious! Coming out of His mouth is a double-edged sword. This represents Christ Word as the judge in the last days. This double edged sword pierces the darkness of men’s hearts.. If you have not accepted Christ as your personal Savior and Lord while you are living, He will be your Judge in the Judgement Day.. If you reject Him now as your Savior and Lord , you will surely be terrified at the judgement day as it is written in Hebrews 10:31; “It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the Living God.” If your sins are not covered by the blood of Christ, Judgement Day will be very unbearable for you.
Jesus said further in Revelation 1 verse 17 that He is the First and the Last. In Isaiah 44:6 , Father God tells of Himself as the First and the Last. The phrase First and the Last refers only to deity. So when Christ said in this passage that He is the First and the Last, it implies that He is proclaiming His deity and that He is the eternal God.
In verse 18 of the passage, Jesus told John that He hold the keys of death and Hades.. Jesus is the supreme authority over death and hell, not Satan. Jesus has the supreme power over the life of a person. He has the power to end one’s life or to extend further his life. He is the supreme authority over hell, it implies that He is the One who grants salvation from hell or condemnation in hell. He is the supreme judge over death and hell.
The vision of the glorified Christ also assures us that our faith is rested on a firm foundation for its chief cornerstone is the Lord of lords and the King of kings.
This short meditation of Revelation has the following concluding thoughts :
- Bear in mind the power and glory of JesusChrist, The last and abiding description of JesusChrist found in the Bible is that of the One who is supreme in power and glory. Christ is the Lord of glory. He must be revered highly, He must be worshipped. He must be Lord of our lives. He must be highly glorified in our lives. We must live for His glory.. He is the all powerful God and we can rest our perfect confidence in Him.
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- The Book of Revelation is also a strong reminder of Christ’s full knowledge of our condition . He knows the true condition of every church and every christian. He knows the struggles we are experiencing and He wants us to be victorious over all our struggles and trials.
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- The Book of Revelation also gives us the comfort of Christ;s unwavering commitment to His people. It reminds us of Christ’s love as the one that endures, that uplifts us and as the one that gives us perfect security..
