Lesson Five

1. Worship

After John saw, he dropped as dead (Josh 5:14; Ezek 1:28; Exod 19:21): What is the difference between Praise and Worship? I was dependent on what John saw that brought him to fall down and worship. This happened when he saw Jesus, but not in the first vision of Jesus (Rev 1:12-16). Rather, John dropped as dead, after the second vision of Jesus (Rev 1:17-18). Firstly, this speaks of the difference in seeing God. There is a difference between seeing God with our eyes and seeing with revelation. Many people see God with their eyes. They are religiously following God. They are religiously listening to the messages. But miss God. Just like the Pharisees, who were praying to God for a Shekinah visitation, not realizing Jesus was in the midst. They could see Jesus but they could not see the revelation of God in Jesus. They missed their visitation. Secondly, this distinction in John's vision of Christ tells us that we need to pay attention to what God is telling us to pay attention to so that we don't miss our visitation of him. As Jesus directed John to pay careful attention to what Jesus is revealing to him in this book, we need to pay attention to what God is revealing to us in the week, so that when we come to church on Sundays we will catch God's revelation in the service. The things that he tells us on the week is revealed in the Sunday worship. Thirdly, this teaches us that seeing with revelation moves us to worship. True worship doesn't first empower us but rather it first weakens us. It brings us to our knees, after getting a revelation of God in the Scriptures, Isaiah 6:1-2). We are weakened by our conviction of sin. True worship leads to Godly sorrow; and godly sorrow leads to repentance (2 Cor. 7:10). After we are weakened by God's revelation, he stretches out his right hand of restoration to forgive, empower and commission us

2. The Right Hand (v. 17-18)

a. Jesus places his right hand upon him (not a literal meaning because in previous verse the right hand is hold seven stars). Right hand communicates power and blessings. It is a commissioning hand that restores John’s confidence and prepares him to hear the words of consolation and command.

b. “The first and the last” (Isaiah 44:6). There is no cause to fear because of this truth of God’s absolute sovereignty

c. The proof of God’s sovereignty is in Jesus resurrection. Jesus says to John: “I am Alive!” Eternality is exemplified particularly in the death and resurrection of Jesus. Emphasis on the reality of his eternality is proven to John in the fact that Jesus is no longer dead but now alive forever and ever.

d. Where he sees Jesus is not in not in Hades the place of the dead, but in Paradise (Luke 23:43).

e. Rather than being in the place of the dead, Jesus has the keys of death and Hades (underworld/Sheol). This is speaking of a power that only belongs to God in Jewish literature (Ps 68:20; Eccl 9:2-3, 10; Job 10:21-22; Isaiah 25:8; 26:19; Dan 12:2).

3. The Key Symbols (v. 19-20)

a. Three fold division of Revelations: Section 1 - What you have seen (chapter 1); Section 2 - “What is now” (chapters 2-3); and Section 3 - “What will take place after” (chapters 4-22)

b. The focus of the book is not only on Christ, but also the churches (recipients in this mystery)

c. It is a book about Christ and his Church

d. Two key symbols

i. Seven stars

ii. Seven churches

4. The Stars (v 20a) and various interpretations:

a. Some believe that the stars represent angels. These stars are guardian angels (Ps 34:7; 91:11; Dan 10:13-21; Matt 18:0; Acts 12:15; Heb 1:14). Stars represent angels in Scripture (Job 38:7; Isa. 14:12-13). The problem with this view is that the letter address angels

b. Others believe stars are personified spirits of the churches or heavenly counterparts of the churches. In other words, they are use to typify the spiritual character of the churches and to address the spiritual needs of them as a whole. This is done with Death and Hades subtle in Rev 1. The problem with this view is the other symbol (the lampstands) points to actual churches. So "stars" is perhaps more likely to actual beings.

c. Others believe that the stars are angels in the hands of Christ to remind the church that angels are not to be worship. Angels are servants to Christ as are the churches. The problem with this view is that while it fits well for verse 20, this issue is not address in any of the letters to the churches. The purpose for mentioning angels in Revelation transcends any problem of worshiping them.

d. A few believe these are “messengers” or leaders of the churches, perhaps bishops or pastors. Some examples are in Matt 11:10; Luke 7:24; 9:52; James 2:25. This would fit well with ancient world as stars designated dominion or sovereignty of leaders. The problem with this view is that angels throughout the book always refers to heavenly beings over 15 times (See further reading below).

e. Few believe these are “messengers” in general (not leaders) but bearers of these letters to the individual churches. Some examples are Phil 2:25; 4:18; Col 4:12. The problem with this view is the same as the 4th view above.

f. It is extremely unlikely that these are human messengers of any type. Rather it is a combination of the first two view is more likely the case. In the Hellenistic world, stars were gods and in the Jewish world they represented angelic forces (See further readings below). These stars were not only the angels in charge of each church. But were also corporately identified with the churches. They were asked to intervene in the spiritual needs of the churches; in another sense they represented the churches. In Old Testament it shows God not only speaking to humans but also to angels on behalf of humans (2 Samuel 24:16). God also had to deal with both angels and humans at one time as well. Read Gen 6:1-4; Num 13:33; Jude 4-7.

5. The Lampstands

(v. 20b) are interpreted to be the seven churches. The Lampstand here is built on the Jewish menorah or seven branched lampstand. There maybe connection her with Jesus' message in Mark's Gospel about lamp not to be hidden under a basket but put on a stand as connection here (Mark 4:21). Where light on its stand is intended to give light to everyone in the house so those who come may see the light (Matt 15:15; Luke 11:33)

6. Christ is in the midst

Christ stands in the midst as Messianic Deliverer (Dan 7:13-14). He is in charge of both the angels and the churches. Angles and churches are being persecuted by evil world, but Christ is with them, protecting them and vindicating them. Angels can struggle in battle against evil (Dan 10:13-21).

FURTHER QUESTIONS TO ANSWER:

1. Where does our spirit go when we die? Seventh day says that it goes back to God. In their argument are against spiritualism, they believe in the doctrine of soul sleep, as opposed to there being a Hades or underworld of the dead

2. Is Hell real? If so, how?