Revelation 1:9-20
Today's Passage: Revelation 1:9-20
I’ve heard ministry leaders say if you want to do a study that will get people signed up, do Revelation. For centuries, believers of every age have studied Revelation and developed thoughts and opinions. I will say, personally, I think we all need a healthy dose of humility when studying prophetic books and a caution to hold our interpretations with an open hand—remember that the men who knew the Old Testament best completely missed the many prophecies about who and what the Messiah would come and do in his first advent. If the pharisees misunderstood the prophecies about Jesus that much, we should be cautious about the veracity with which we hold our opinions.
That being said, we must study, learn, and develop our view. To throw out prophetic writings because they’re hard, means we disregard about a quarter of Scripture. That’s no good. Instead, we rejoice in the certainty of the hope we have in Christ in what is abundantly clear and enjoy the debate with others who love the Lord about how God is writing the end of the story of salvation history in that which is less clear.
So, like you, I have some questions about our passage today. I’ll tell you what I think it all means. First, notice the language John uses regarding his audience. He knows them and they know him. He’s confined to the isle of Patmos as a prisoner. Yet, after his encounter, he was commanded to write.
Second, there’s some debate about “Lord’s Day” and “in the Spirit.” This is probably the first day of the week. Christ resurrected on a Sunday and his followers starting gathering to worship weekly on the first, rather than the seventh day of the week, which was Jewish tradition. This could, however, be a reference to the “Day of the Lord,” which has prophetic implications from the Old Testament. It’s not super clear. It’s also not clear if “in the Spirit” refers to an internal prophetic vision that John had or if this was a physical/temporal transportation or manifestation. I don’t know. Good people have debated all of this.
Finally, John saw the resurrected Jesus in all his eternal prophesied glory. John fell, and what stood out to me were the words of verse 17, “he laid his right hand on me.” The hand that held the churches now personally comforted John. Jesus is Lord, the One through whom all things were created and even now being sustained. The description in this passage connects with multiple prophetic passages describing the Ancient of Days. And yet, those mighty, nail-scarred hands graciously, gently reached out to a sinner unable to behold the glory of the Savior.
Yes, some of Revelation is hard to understand, but that’s not. What a Savior we have in Jesus! I need that. I want that. My eternal hope isn’t pinned on pre- mid- or post-trib or a view of the millennium. I love those conversations and can’t fully grasp how people disagree with my so perfectly clear view (lol). No, my hope is pinned on nothing less than I’m a sinner saved by grace and that although I would not be able to stand in the presence of God’s glory, when I fall, he will lay his hand on me too.
Written By: Tyler Short
I’ve heard ministry leaders say if you want to do a study that will get people signed up, do Revelation. For centuries, believers of every age have studied Revelation and developed thoughts and opinions. I will say, personally, I think we all need a healthy dose of humility when studying prophetic books and a caution to hold our interpretations with an open hand—remember that the men who knew the Old Testament best completely missed the many prophecies about who and what the Messiah would come and do in his first advent. If the pharisees misunderstood the prophecies about Jesus that much, we should be cautious about the veracity with which we hold our opinions.
That being said, we must study, learn, and develop our view. To throw out prophetic writings because they’re hard, means we disregard about a quarter of Scripture. That’s no good. Instead, we rejoice in the certainty of the hope we have in Christ in what is abundantly clear and enjoy the debate with others who love the Lord about how God is writing the end of the story of salvation history in that which is less clear.
So, like you, I have some questions about our passage today. I’ll tell you what I think it all means. First, notice the language John uses regarding his audience. He knows them and they know him. He’s confined to the isle of Patmos as a prisoner. Yet, after his encounter, he was commanded to write.
Second, there’s some debate about “Lord’s Day” and “in the Spirit.” This is probably the first day of the week. Christ resurrected on a Sunday and his followers starting gathering to worship weekly on the first, rather than the seventh day of the week, which was Jewish tradition. This could, however, be a reference to the “Day of the Lord,” which has prophetic implications from the Old Testament. It’s not super clear. It’s also not clear if “in the Spirit” refers to an internal prophetic vision that John had or if this was a physical/temporal transportation or manifestation. I don’t know. Good people have debated all of this.
Finally, John saw the resurrected Jesus in all his eternal prophesied glory. John fell, and what stood out to me were the words of verse 17, “he laid his right hand on me.” The hand that held the churches now personally comforted John. Jesus is Lord, the One through whom all things were created and even now being sustained. The description in this passage connects with multiple prophetic passages describing the Ancient of Days. And yet, those mighty, nail-scarred hands graciously, gently reached out to a sinner unable to behold the glory of the Savior.
Yes, some of Revelation is hard to understand, but that’s not. What a Savior we have in Jesus! I need that. I want that. My eternal hope isn’t pinned on pre- mid- or post-trib or a view of the millennium. I love those conversations and can’t fully grasp how people disagree with my so perfectly clear view (lol). No, my hope is pinned on nothing less than I’m a sinner saved by grace and that although I would not be able to stand in the presence of God’s glory, when I fall, he will lay his hand on me too.
Written By: Tyler Short
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