Let’s pick up our study of Revelation at chapter 1, verses 4-8.
v.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.”
- Here John identifies himself more clearly.
Who is he writing to? “to the seven churches in Asia”:
- Seven churches which were geographically situated in Asia Minor:
o Today that would be modern-day Turkey.
o These were not the only churches in Asia at the time: the cities of Troas, Colossae and Hieropolis also had churches.
- Why did the Lord direct John to write to these seven churches in particular?
o It is possible that the number seven, as with the other sevens in the book, signifies completeness.
o But its more likely that He chose them because they were typical assemblies of believers with regard to their histories and their spiritual health, or lack of it.
v.4b, Notice the greeting: “grace to you and peace”:
- The words “grace and peace” speak of the Christian’s standing before God:
o “Grace” speaks of God’s attitude toward believers.
o “Peace” speaks both of their standing with God and their experience of Divine peace.
o “Grace” is unmerited favor: blessings, kindness, favor, mercy, and forgiveness all from God.
o “Peace” means no more wrath from God for the believer. There is now a healthy relationship with God, a quietness of soul and spirit before Him.
v.4c, Who’s the grace and peace from? “… from Him who is and who was and who is to come;”
- Who is this describing? At first we might think this is Jesus. But He’s mentioned in verse 5.
o “Him who is and who was and who is to come.” This is talking about God the Father. Jesus is mentioned later.
- Notice the order:
o “Him who is.” This is in the present tense stressing that the God of the Old Testament and the God of the future is still in control of the present.
o “… and who was,” He’s also the God of the past.
- “… and who is to come”:
o He is the God of the future.
o God is, was and will be the God of eternity present, past and future.
o All of time is encompassed in God the Father, but He’s not limited by time.
o Because God is eternally present, He is, therefore, able to help His people in any age and in any situation.
Grace and peace also comes from:
v.4d, “… and from the seven spirits who are before His throne;”
- What’s this all about? There are lots of ideas or theories. It would take a lot of time to go through them all. So I’ll briefly cover the two main ideas.
Let’s start by examining the Greek word for Spirit:
- John uses the Greek word pneuma, which means spirit or wind:
o Sometimes the word pneuma is used in the New Testament for angels, both fallen and unfallen.
o There are some who believe this is referring to seven angels.
- First argument: These are seven literal angels before God’s throne:
o 1. pneuma is used for angels in the New Testament.
o 2. They are “before God’s throne.”
o 3. They are created beings in a subordinate position:
§ This is a regular position for created creatures, but not for a divine being; so it couldn’t be the Holy Spirit.
o 4. There is a similarity of language in Luke 9:26, “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when He comes in His glory, and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.”
o 5. 1 Tim. 5:21, “I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of His chosen angels,”
o 6. There is a prominence of angels throughout the book of Revelation, as seen in:
§ Carrying out the Tribulation judgments.
§ Holding back the four winds of the earth.
§ And many other examples which we’ll see later in our study.
- The arguments against it being angels are as follows:
o 1. Though seven angels are mentioned in Rev. 8:2, “And I saw the seven angels who stand before God; and seven trumpets were given to them”:
§ These angels are not referred to using the word pneuma.
§ The word John uses here is the Greek word angelos, which means messenger.
o 2. Another reason: Angels are always seen in Revelation in a literal angelic form, not in “spirit” form.
o 3. The “seven spirits” are always represented in a symbolic form.
o 4. Both the singular and plural form of the word pneuma, in Revelation, only refers to the Spirit of God or to demons.
o 5. We know that these are not demons that John is talking about.
o 6. Another very valid argument against these being angels is the impossibility of created creatures being a source of “grace and peace”:
§ This would put them on an equal level with God the Father and the Son, Jesus Christ.
§ And there are strict prohibitions against worshipping demons found throughout the entire Bible.
The “seven spirits,” or the “seven-fold spirit” is a reference to the Holy Spirit. But why did John use the words "seven spirits"?
- Some understand John to mean the "sevenfold spirit" in His fullness.
- Isaiah 11:2-3, “And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord”:
o Problem: some see only 6 attributes listed.
o Unless you include the “Spirit of the Lord resting” on Him: “wisdom, understanding, counsel, strength, knowledge, and fear of the Lord.”
- Others point to the number “seven” as:
o The term “seven” denoting perfection or completeness.
o This is the Holy Spirit in the completeness of His office and powers, as sent forth for the illumination, comfort and edification of all the people of God’s redeeming grace.
o The term “seven spirits” does not mean seven Holy Spirits.
- Most, however, believe John, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit as he was writing, was borrowing from the imagery of Zechariah 4:1-6, 10, which says, “Then the angel who was speaking with me returned, and roused me as a man who is awakened from his sleep. 2 And he said to me, ‘What do you see?’ And I said, ‘I see, and behold, a lamp-stand all of gold with its bowl on the top of it, and its seven lamps on it with seven spouts belonging to each of the lamps which are on the top of it; 3 also two olive trees by it, one on the right side of the bowl and the other on its left side.’ 4 Then I answered and said to the angel who was speaking with me saying, ‘What are these, my lord?’ 5 So the angel who was speaking with me answered and said to me, ‘Do you not know what these are?’ And I said, ‘No, my lord.’ 6 Then he answered and said to me, ‘This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel saying, ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts.’”
- Zechariah 4:10, “For who has despised the day of small things? But these seven will be glad when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel—these are the eyes of the Lord which range to and fro throughout the earth.”
- So, where the ancient prophet, Zechariah, sees a lampstand with seven bowls supplied with oil from two nearby olive trees, John seems to connect the churches, “lampstands,” in Rev. 1:20, “As for the mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lamp-stands: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lamp-stands are the seven churches to the ministry of the Holy Spirit (Rev. 3:1; 4:5; 5:6).
- The words the "seven spirits" represent the activity of the risen Christ through the Holy Spirit in, and to, the seven churches.
- This symbolism should bring great encouragement to the churches, because it’s "'not by might nor by power, but by my spirit,' says the Lord Almighty" (Zechariah 4:6), that the churches serve the living God.
- This is also a sobering statement because the history of each church (found in chapters 2-3) is a recounting of that church's response to the Holy Spirit.
- It’s also a warning for the Church today, as we will see later in our study, "He who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."
Grace and peace are still the subjects here, and we see it in verse 5:
v.5 , “… and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the first-born of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us, and released us from our sins by His blood,”
- v.5a, Its here that we see Jesus’ name.
- How is He described?
o v.5b, “the faithful witness” :
§ He is the faithful witness of the truth of God.
o “Witness” is the Greek word, martos, which means witness and martyr.
o He is, therefore, a faithful “witness,” or a faithful “martyr,” in that He was the first to die for the gospel message.
o Those who would die for their faith in Christ, the martyrs, would be witnesses through their deaths.
o Jesus is the preeminent “faithful witness” because He died and because He was the first to rise from the dead.
- v.5c, “the first-born of the dead”:
o Referring to His historic resurrection.
o Christ’s resurrection assures all believers of their resurrection.
o He shows us how to stand firm for the faith even when faced with persecution.
o Others had risen from the dead only to die again.
o Jesus was the first to resurrect with an imperishable body, never to die again.
o He is the “first-born” from the dead.
- v.5d, “the ruler of the kings of the earth”:
o He is the all-powerful king:
§ Victorious in battle.
§ Glorious in peace.
o Satan tried to tempt Jesus by offering Him all the kingdoms of the earth if He would bow and worship him.
o Jesus refused, and through obedience to the Father, death on the cross and resurrection, He gained ultimate kingship.
o Jesus was not just a humble earthly teacher.
o He is the glorious Son of God, the Savior, the Redeemer, the hope of all humanity.
o When He returns He will be recognized for who He really is.
o Then, “at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on the earth and under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is the Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil. 2:10-11).
The last part of verse 5 goes together with verse 6 as a doxology, or praise to God.
v.5e - 6, “To Him who loves us, and released us from our sins by His blood, and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father; to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen”
- “to Him who loves us” –
o “loves” is in the present active tense.
o John reminds his readers that Jesus continues to love us.
o It wasn’t a past event, it is ongoing; it’s continuous.
- “… and released us from our sins by [or through] his blood”
o “released” is the Greek word meaning, having loosed us or set us free from.
o This is the message of the gospel! Jesus, through His death and resurrection, has released all true believers from the penalty of their sin, which is death, both physical and spiritual. Physical death is still a reality this side of heaven. But eternal death, separation from God forever, has been removed for all those who believe and receive Christ as their Savior. Praise God!!
- What was the means, or vehicle of that release?
o By, or in, or through “His blood.” The precious blood of the spotless Lamb of God.
o Heb. 9:22, “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.”
o Christ is the One who keeps on loving us (present tense) and who “loosed” or “released” (past tense) us, once for all, from our sin, in or by His blood sacrifice on our behalf, the just for the unjust the righteous in the place of the unrighteous.
- v.6a, The result of Christ’s work on our behalf is that “He has made us to be a kingdom, and priests to His God and Father”:
o This does not mean that the Church has become the Millennial Kingdom.
o We belong to Jesus’ kingdom, presently not of this world.
o Our responsibility as priests in Jesus kingdom, is to serve God the Father:
§ Loving Him.
§ Loving one another.
§ Using our spiritual gifts.
§ Bearing one another’s burdens.
§ Sharing the good news of the gospel with others.
John closes this doxology by ascribing glory and dominion to Jesus.
v.6b, “to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
- “glory” means praise.
- “dominion” means authority and power.
- “forever and ever” in the Greek, literally means “into the ages of the ages.”
- “amen” means, so be it or let it be so.
v.7, “Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. Even so, Amen.”
- “Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him”:
o “Behold” exhorts the readers and hearers of this book to “look; be aware; be ready, He is coming in the clouds.
o John is referring back to Daniel 7:13-14, “I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, and He came up to the Ancient of Days and was presented before Him. 14 And to Him was given dominion, glory and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and men of every language Might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which will not pass away; and His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed.”
o And Zechariah 12:10, “And I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him, like the bitter weeping over a first-born.”
- These are both messianic passages that testify of Christ’s return.
- The entire world will witness His return, especially the Jews who were the chief agents in His death:
o “… the tribes of the earth will mourn,” which literally means to beat one’s chest in humility.
o They will all realize who He is and what they forfeited in not receiving Him as their Savior.
o This is at His second coming, at the end of the Tribulation.
o There is no indication that the entire world will see Jesus at the Rapture of the Church.
o At His second coming, to establish His kingdom, all will see Him.
v.8, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
- “… the Alpha and the Omega”:
o These are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet.
o They are symbolic of the fact that He is the beginning and the ending of all things.
- “… who is and who was and who is to come”:
o He exists in the present.
o He existed in the past.
o He will be in the future.
o This is the eternality of Jesus Christ.
- “the Almighty”:
o The Greek word is pantocrator. It’s a compound word from pan which means all, and kratos which means power, strength, might, or force.
o Almighty is the idea of omnipotent, that is, the all-powerful One.
o It is used 10 times in the New Testament, 9 of them in Revelation.
Summary
Jesus Christ is the central figure of the opening eight verses of Revelation:
- He is the source of Revelation, v.1.
- He is the channel of the Word and testimony of God, v.2.
- His blessings are promised in v.3.
- He is the Faithful witness, the first-born from among the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth, v.5.
- He is the source of all grace, who loves us and cleanses us from our sins through His shed blood, v.5.
- He is the source of our royal priesthood, v.6.
- He has the right to gather all glory and dominion to Himself forever and ever, v.6.
- Every eye will see Him coming in the clouds and they will mourn, v.7.
- He is the beginning and the ending, the Almighty One, v.8.
Wow! There’s a lot to think about in these opening verses of the Revelation of Jesus Christ. It is my hope and prayer that this study will help you to see the Lord Jesus for who He really is and the fact that He is coming again, in the Rapture of the Church (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18) and to judge the world for it’s sin (Revelation).
May the Lord bless you as you continue to study His Word.
By His Grace,
Gary T. Dromi, Ph.D., D.Min.
