Revelation 1- I saw the King of Glory and Grace
Revelation 1:1-20 ESV The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2 who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. 3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near. 4 John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood 6 and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 7 Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen. 8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” 9 I, John,[1] your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet[2] 11 saying, “Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.” 12 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands,[3] 13 and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man,[4] clothed with a long robe[5] and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 The hairs of his head were white like wool, as white as snow.[6] His eyes were like a flame of fire,[7] 15 his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace,[8] and his voice was like the roar of many waters.[9] 16 In his right hand he held seven stars,[10] from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword,[11] and his face was like the sun shining in full strength. 17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last,[12] 18 and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore,[13] and I have the keys of Death and Hades.[14] 19 Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this.[15] 20 As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands,[16] the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
I turned around and saw:
I. The GLORY of God
1) God is Glory
2) His Glory demands justice on all ingloriousness of his creation
II. The GRACE of God
1) His Cross
2) His Care
“Aslan a man!” said Mr Beaver sternly. “Certainly not. I tell you he is the King of the wood and the son of the great Emperor-beyond-the-sea. Don’t you know who is King of Beasts? Aslan isa lion—the Lion, the great Lion.”
‘Ooh!” said Susan, “I’d thought he was a man. Is he—quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion.”
“That you will, dearie, and no mistake,” said Mrs. Beaver; “if there’s anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking, they’re either braver than most or else just silly.”
“Then he isn’t safe?” said Lucy.
“Safe?” said Mr Beaver; “don’t you hear what Mrs Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”
“I’m longing to see him,” said Peter, “even if I do feel frightened when it comes to the point.”
“That’s right, son of Adam,” said Mr Beaver, bringing his paw down on the table with a crash that made all the cups and saucers rattle. “And so you shall. Word has been sent that you are to meet him, tomorrow if you can, at the Stone Table.” CS Lewis, LWW 64.
[1] John was one of Jesus’ best friends. He knew Jesus. He used to rest his head on Jesus! See John 13.
[2] Same voice Moses heard before he received the 10 commandments! See Exodus 19:16-20.
[3] Lampstands in the Tabernacle and Temple (see Numbers 
was placed right in front of the entrance to the ‘holy of holies’, or representative of the glorious presence of God. See also Zechariah 4:2-10.
[4] ‘Son of Man’- See Daniel 7:1-14. He is God like the ‘ancient of days’. And is given the kingdom of God by the Ancient of Days. ‘Son of Man’ is therefore an insider code word for God/Messiah. Only those with Jewish and Old Testament understanding would pick up on it. In the gospels, Jesus refers to himself as this title of divinity more than any other.
[5] Long robe-worn by the high priests. Jesus is the true high priest who sanctifies us and brings us to the presence of God. See Exodus 28:4; 29:9.
[6] God, the ancient of days, has this hair in Daniel 7:9.
[7] See Daniel 10:6- Heavenly visitor with flaming eyes.
[8] Shining like Bronze in Daniel 10.
[9] God Almighty’s voice is likened to rushing waters, see Ezekiel 1:24; 43:2.
[10] Seven stars are equated to the seven lamps- which are those who will shine for all eternity, the church, see Daniel 12:3.
[11] Prophesied about Jesus in Isaiah 49:2. See also Hebrews 4:12; Ephesians 6:17 & Revelation 19:15. God’s word will conquer all foes. It’s saying he is the final judge. Not that he lisps or mumbles! J
[12] ‘the first and the last’ is a name of God in Isaiah. See 41:4; 44:6; 48:12.
[13] Descriptor for God in Deuteronomy 32:40; Daniel 4:34.
[14] John’s encounter with the Son of Man is parallel to Daniel’s encounter with a heavenly being in Daniel 10:5-21. Daniel also fell as if dead, but was reassured of heaven’s favor and charged to not be afraid of what he must face.
[15] Why is it important that John write this down?
[16] The bible interprets this vision as symbolic. Therefore, we need to focus on application, what it means about reality for us.
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