A Vision Of Christ

A VISION OF CHRIST by Kevin Thacker

Revelation 1:9-18

Imagine for yourself being placed in a cell alone in a prison that is on an island. Well, that is exactly where John is right now. The Isle of Patmos is a small island just off the coast of Turkey in the Aegean Sea. The Romans have created a fortification for defense and prison on this island to lock away those that they wish to forget, mainly political prisoners. John is a particularly good person for the Romans to lock away on the Isle of Patmos because of the “trouble” he has been starting by preaching about Jesus. But, John is arrested in his later years, probably around 90 years old, and placed on the isle by Emperor Domitian. While he is imprisoned there, John does not lose his spirit. John begins to write and is allowed to do something that no one else has ever been able to do. John is given the opportunity to see many great things and then write them down for us so that we can know about the end. But while is there writing, he is alone in his cell. Or so he thought. While John is there, he was “…in the spirit on the Lord’s day,…” when he was visited by Christ. Now John had been one of the original 12 apostles. He had been with Christ as he ministered to the people. He saw the miracles of Christ, he had heard the teachings of Christ, he sat at the table with Christ at the last supper and he stood at the feet of Jesus at the crucifixion. So when Jesus speaks to John in verse 11, John recognized the voice. I’m sure that John thought how can this be and probably thought he was hearing things. I mean, John saw Christ ascend back into Heaven, how could He be speaking to him from his cell? But John, being curious, “…turned to see the voice that spake…”. When John turned, he saw something that frightened him, in verse 17, the bible tells us that John “…fell at his feet as dead.”. Even though it scared him, I’m sure it also comforted him to know that he was not alone. John knew who it was that was with him because of the description that John gives us. John turned and saw “…one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle”. When John turned, he knew who it was because he called Him the Son of Man. Jesus referred to himself as the Son of Man several times in the bible, 85 times to be exact in the New Testament. But John was able to see a vision of Jesus Christ. Tonight, let’s look at the Vision of Jesus that John saw.

1) His Head & Hair – (vs. 14) The first thing that we see that John describes for us is the hair on Jesus’ head. The color white is a symbol of purity. The color white is used as far back as the Old Testament in the building of the tabernacle. The use of the color white shows the purity of the spotless Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, and the one that John is gazing upon. But white is also a symbol of other things. White is a color three other things.

a. Righteousness – Jesus is a righteous God. The righteousness of Jesus is the thing that is imputed to us. Upon the acceptance of Jesus as Savior, Jesus imputes (or puts to our charge) his righteousness. Our righteousness is as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6), but his righteousness is as white as the snow.

b. Wisdom – White shows us the wisdom of Jesus as well. As we age, our hair begins to turn white (sometimes it falls out), but it shows the wisdom of the person. It shows us the experience of the people who bear the white hair. You should not be ashamed of your white hair as it shows the world that you are wise and experience. Jesus is wise and is experienced. He knows all and has seen all things. He has experienced the same things that we have experienced because he is 100% man.

c. Immortality – The white hair also shows the immortality of Jesus Christ. In Daniel 7:9, he is called the “...Ancient of days…”. His garments and hair as white because he has been from the beginning. There was no beginning for God and there will be no end for God. He always has been and he always will be. The white shows us that he is the wise ruler and judge of all.

2) His Eyes – (vs. 14) The second attribute of Jesus that we are given is his eyes. John describes his eyes “…as a flame of fire…” in verse 14. In Daniel 10:6, we are told again of the flaming eyes. These flaming eyes shows us two things: