THERE IS NONE LIKE HIM
TEXT: REVELATION 1:8-20 W. Max Alderman
INTRODUCTION: The intelligent eternality of God is seen in this eighth verse as Christ reveals Himself as the Alpha and Omega. With Him being such, He is qualified to communicate to all people-groups, of all ages, as the Almighty. Every Hebrew event that took place that involved the Almighty One, such as the parting of the Red Sea, the fall of the walls of Jericho, the slaying of Goliath, the preserving of the three Hebrew children, the protection of Daniel while in the den of Lions, and making the sun stand still, are examples that demonstrated that He truly is the Almighty One. The nation of Israel, by their continually witnessing the power of God being displayed, knew that He was the Almighty One.
In our text the Almighty is revealed as being the LORD of the Old Testament even as He is here. We know this to be true because He introduces Himself as the one “which is, and which was, and which is to come, the almighty.” The Jews will one day recognize and accept Christ Jesus as the one whom they pierced.
When He gives His proper name as being Alpha and Omega, He is using the first and the last letters of the Greek alphabet. Every word that can be constructed has its origin in its alphabet. He is the Alphabet, and with this being so, He reveals to mankind all that which would have been spoken by the Father. This is a reason that Jesus uses His name Word in John 1:1. This truth is also indicated in the Book of Hebrews when it says, “Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;’ (Hebrews 1:2-3).
As the Almighty, God is in control; He has His hands on everything. Look at the meaning of His name Almighty and how it is used in our text. Almighty is pantokrater, "the one who has his hand on everything;" this word is used ten times in the New Testament, and nine of the ten occurrences are found in Revelation. (Guzik).
It very well could be that the Lord wanted the tribulation saints to know from the beginning of Revelation that He is absolutely in control; He has His hands on everything. As we watch our news, we can see how a national or worldwide event can capture our attention for days or even weeks at a time. Such an event can cause panic to grip our hearts, and cause millions of people to sink into deep despair. Such happened when parts of Asia were devastated by the Tsunami. As awful as this may have been, when the tribulation begins, there will have been no past occurrences in history to compare to the events that will be taking place then. Panic and pandemonium will grip the world. With this entire happening, God will still absolutely be in control. The ancient of days has always been in control. Yet He still will allow these events to transpire to perform His ultimate purpose in judging the world and mankind because of sin.
I. THE GREAT COMMENCEMENT OF THE REVELATION PROPHECY. (Vv 8-11).
John was going to show how, where, and when he was commissioned to write the Book of Revelation. As he introduced himself, he was very careful not to exalt himself. Again, this is significant because John wanted to reveal Christ instead of reveal himself.
This first chapter is laying the groundwork to prove to the honest seeker of Truth that this Revelation Book is absolutely reliable. It also is going to identify the change that has taken place when Christ took upon Himself a transfigured, glorified body. His body that is being described here will appear very strange, but keep in mind that each descriptive term is going to reveal something about God’s attitude towards sin and how sinful man is to be judged. This is a very revealing portion of Scripture as it reveals Christ. Also continue to remember that Revelation is the revealing of Christ as the Almighty One. It is He who will be seen having the keys of hell and death.
A. Commenced With John Being Introduced As The Writer. (Vv 8, 9)
Though John was selected to write this Book from the isle of Patmos, which was located southwest of Ephesus on the Aegean Sea, he wanted to make his readers immediately know that he was not the person to be worshiped. He told them that he was John who is also “your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ”. In verse number nine, John made it clear that he was there for the “word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ”.
1. He introduced himself with a contrast. (Vv. 8, 9a) (Cf. I John. 3:1)
Euseibus says that John was imprisoned on the isle of Patmos under the reign of Domitian. Yet John makes no reference to this at all. He took what may have been a tremendous hardship and turned it into a ministering opportunity. Patmos has been described as a “Roman Alcatraz” with jagged rocks and was very desolate, about six miles by twelve miles in size. John shows that our place of service does not have to affect our attitude of service. John is contrasting himself to the Lord. He was very much like another John that we read about. This one was John the Baptist who told those who wanted to worship him as Jesus or even claim him to be the Messiah that he was not even worthy to loose the shoe latchet of Jesus.
John wanted his readers to know that he was only a companion in tribulation, not the Alpha and the Omega and the Almighty as was Jesus. To the reader, this should be a lesson for us in contrasts. We are nothing apart from Him, but everything with Him. Our weakness requires having His strength. Those who were going to go through great tribulation as tribulation saints should realize that though they were weak, they could have His strength from the beginning to the end.
2. He introduced himself as a companion. (Vv. 9b)
People can relate to people whom they identify with. John very much wants his readers to identify with him. He wanted them to know that he was a victim or a companion in tribulation as they were, but did not give the graphics or spell out what he was going through. He wanted them to know that he could relate to their troubles and problems, just as Christ does when He is touched by the feelings of our infirmities.
John wisely demonstrated that people can be more readily ministered to if they can relate to the minister. The preacher ministering to his people does not have to do what his people do in order to reach them, but he should relate to them as being a person who has human feelings for them. Sometimes preachers give the impression that they do not have battles involving the world, the flesh, or the devil. It is almost like they are sending signals that they are immune to temptations. John was not like this.
3. He introduced himself as a communicator. (Vv. 9c)
John communicated truth as a testifier of Truth. When the truth was revealed to him, he wrote it down and made it available to the seven churches that were in Asia Minor. Then it became a part of the canon of Truth.
B. Commenced With John Being Instructed As The Writer. . (Vv. 10-11)
The Lord is letting John know that He is the qualified giver of Truth as the Alpha and the Omega. From this vantage point the Lord instructs John to write the Revelation Prophecy.
1. John saw the things that he wrote about. (Vv. 10-11a)
This is a fantastic verse as it tells us how John received the record of the events that he was going to write about. With our modern technology, we have the ability to video activities and events and watch what we recorded after they have happened. We can record the sounds that are being made along with the video and play it back at a later date. Much differently than what I have just described, the Lord let John see the events before they ever happened. Even with our superb technology we are incapable of recording an event before it actually happens. Only God can absolutely reveal the future in this way. This is exactly what God did when He told John to write what he saw.
2. John sent the things he wrote about (to the seven churches in Asia Minor.) (Vv. 11b)
We must keep in mind that God has a purpose and a time for every event “under the sun”. Nothing in God’s economy is by mere chance; it was by His design that these seven churches were addressed. There was great reason for Christ writing to them, and each church had its own particular message from Him. Yet students of the Word know that there are ongoing benefits that can be applied to all churches of all ages from the letters that were addressed to these seven churches. A close study of these churches will reveal universal characteristics that may be found in churches of all ages. May we be helped with this being so.
II. THE GREAT CHRIST OF THE REVELATION PROPHECY. (Vv. 12-20)
A very solemn thing is about to happen as John turns to see the One who is speaking to Him. What He sees had never been seen before by mere mortal man. He turns and sees Christ Jesus in His majestic splendor. He sees Him as the glorified Prophet, Priest, and King. The description that John gives of Christ is unlike any description that had ever been given of Him before. The closest earthly parallel would be when Isaiah in Isaiah chapter 6 said in verse number Five, “Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.”
What John is describing is Christ taking on the role of a Warrior with a sword coming from His mouth. The symbolic language that John uses in describing the Lord Jesus Christ is for the purpose of pronouncing the serious work that lies before Him who “in righteousness he doth judge and make war” Rev. 19:11.
A. The Great Description of Him. (Vv. 12-16)
There is a magnificent, incomparable beauty that describes the Lord. The majestic qualities of Christ are clearly revealed as John sees Christ this way. Think with me what it might have been like to have seen him many years before for the last time in all of His humanity and now see Him in all of His deity. John does not in any way see Christ in His kenosis or humility: He sees Christ in His glorification and in His exaltation. He does not see Christ at this appearing with His lamb like qualities, but instead He sees Christ with His lion like qualities. This does not mean that Christ appeared in a beastly state. This is just a symbolic way of comparing Christ’s incarnation to His exaltation.
There was much symbolism in what John saw. Christ was revealing Himself in respect to His new role. Christ is now presenting Himself as the victorious conqueror that has come to judge sin. He also is revealing Himself as the glorified prophet, priest and king.
These qualities will be seen in different respects throughout Revelation. May we now look at some of these descriptive qualities mentioned in our text?
1. His purity is described. (Vv. 12-14)
The immediate impression that John had was that this person that He saw was “like unto the Son of man”. This tells us that John saw the recognizable features that he had known so many years before when he had seen Jesus for the last time. Now, he sees Jesus in His “highly exalted” state {Philippians 2:9). This attributes to the unusual way that He is being described.
He is “clothed with a garment down to the foot”. This pictures Christ as the anointed one who keeps. He will not lose one of His own and will recover the property that had been lost at the original fall in the Garden of Eden. In our Revelation study, we will be looking at the recovery work that is done by our Kinsman Redeemer later on.
Christ must have a legal right to conquer the forces of Satan and also to recover that which had been lost to sin. As the undefiled Priest who offered His own sacrificial blood, He is qualified to open the book that is spoken of in Revelation five and also to stand placing “his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth” as shown in Revelation chapter ten. In both of these instances Christ is seen as the qualified legal priestly Warrior taking control.
When John saw Christ standing before Him wearing His priestly attire, it must have reminded him of what is recorded of Him in Hebrews 7:26, “For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens”. To John, Christ Jesus was harmless, but to the sinner He is the angry Warrior soon to conquer.
The golden girdle upon His paps or chest shows Christ to be the representative of the royal kingdom which He judges, no longer seen sitting upon His throne as He was in Daniel 7:9 as the “Ancient of days.” but standing while taking on the role of the Almighty Judge. It is in the spirit of Romans 12:19 where it says, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord,” that He stands as the righteous Judge. The golden girdle symbolizes His strength and His authority to judge.
In verse number fourteen it speaks of His head and his hairs being “white like wool, as white as snow.” The symbolism here shows his purity. The white wedding garment symbolizes that the bride has kept herself pure as a chaste virgin for her wedding moment. It may not always be the case as the bride walks down the isle to meet her bridegroom, but it certainly is the case with the Lord Jesus Christ. He never has had one impure moment in His eternal existence.
The white hair also speaks of His antiquity as Daniel seven refers to Him as being the “Ancient of days” and Psalm 90:2 describes Him in this way. “Before the mountains were wrought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting thou art God.” When the Lord is referred to as the Ancient of days, that does not mean that He is growing incredibly old with all that accompanies aging. Hebrews 1: 10-12 describes His eternal existence in this manner. “And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands: They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed; but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.”
The symbolism involving His hair being white as wool and snow pictures His incomparable wisdom. Proverbs 3:19 says, “The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens.”
The first impression that John had of Christ must have been quite impressive when he saw the penetrating eyes of Christ light up “as a flame of fire.” This pictures the probing, penetrating, and piercing eyes of judgment with nothing concealed from His omniscient gaze. Christ can see all with nothing being hidden from Him. This is also true in our day. God not only sees it all, He knows it all. There are many people who thing that they have their hidden secrets, only to find that nothing can be hid from His searching eyes, except what He chooses not to see involving our sins after we have been forgiven.
2. His power is described. (Vv. 15-16a)
Again, we learn from the symbolism and the metaphors that describe what John saw. In verse fifteen, we are told that his feet were like fine brass “as if they burned in a furnace.” Feet carry the idea of purposeful mobility. We use our feet to get us from place to place with deliberation and purpose. Our vehicles may take us to the vicinity of where we are going, but our feet take us to the exact spot. The Lord is not just going to powerfully judge sin in its vicinity or deal with it in general. He will go to the exact spot where sin is to be dealt with and deal with it specifically. Christ is revealing Himself as the Almighty who will totally, without reservation deal with sin. There will not be a place, or person upon the earth that will escape his powerful judgment.
We are told that His voice has the “sound of many waters.” Rushing waters can silence everything around it or at least seem to. Rushing waters take on a prominence that is its own. On several occasions, I have had the privilege to stand on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls and travel by boat to the foot of the falls. The cascading and falling water would drown out all other sounds. The message that John was conveying was that the Voice of Jesus Christ will have that kind of prominence during the Great Tribulation.
At the present, it is almost criminal to mention publicly the things that pertain to God. President Bush in his second inauguration made four references to God and immediately there were those who said that President Bush was being “too heavenish.” Praise God! When King Jesus begins His ruler ship, His Voice will drown out all other voices. His powerful words will rule, control, and destroy at His bidding. The powerful effects of His words are further indicated by the expression, “out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword.” The sword is a powerful instrument of war. His Words will be spoken as “he doth judge and make war.”
3. His prominence is described. (Vv. 16b)
There is nothing more prominent in our solar system than the sun. The sun is recognized and respected by all. Even the blind person who cannot see the sun can feel the heat thereof. The transfigured glory of Christ is seen in all of its brilliance by John. It was so overwhelming that John fell as ad dead man at the feet of Christ Jesus. In the eyes of the present worldly system the face of Jesus seems to be dimly lit. But He who is the Light of the world will reveal Himself fully as He comes to bring judgment to this world. The time will come when every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord as the lumens of His brilliance begins to shine.
B. The Great Declaration by Him. (Vv. 17-18)
When John fell before Jesus as a dead man, I am not sure if this was his way of saying that he had fainted after seeing the revealed Christ. The Scriptures tell us that he fell “as dead.” Whatever happened happened because of John’s fear. He collapsed, he fell, but the Lord told John that he was not to be afraid. God took His strong powerful right hand and laid it upon John. Can you imagine what that was like? Can you but imagine how it felt to have been touched this way by glorified Deity, to be touched by God?
It is the powerful touch of God that casts out fear. In a Spiritual sense, it is comforting to feel the touch of God upon your life. I certainly desire God’s hand upon my life and I sincerely desire the hand of God upon this church. It makes all the difference in the world to have God’s touch upon your life.
1. He declared His coming from the dead. (Vv. 17-18a)
The one speaking to John is the same One that he wrote about in his Gospel in John 11:25, 26. “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live; And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die, Believest thou this?”
Not only is Christ the resurrection and the Life, He is the one who was dead, but is “alive for evermore.” The grave could not hold Him. He was letting John know that it was not time for him to die, but to write the Revelation Prophecy. Had not the Lord comforted John in this way, John could have become very much afraid because of what he was going to witness. The thing that John witnessed could have really scared him to death. Yet, the laying of God’s right hand upon him must have made an indelible impression that would remain in hi memory for a very long time while at the same time bringing him the comfort and the peace that he so desperately needed.
2. He declared His conquering of death. (Vv. 18b)
Keys lock and unlock. Christ holds the key that unlocks the gate called death. For this reason, the Scriptures tell us that it is appointed unto man once to die, and after death the judgment. God has the key to that appointed day. He also has the key to the gates of hell. The symbolism of the key paints the picture of someone holding that key and him using the key at his discretion. To illustrate this, when I have the key to my automobile I determine when and how that vehicle is to be used. The Lord is simply letting John know that death and hell is under His control.
When the enemy surrounds me, I need not fear, because I am going to be here until God is through with me. He was letting John know the same. I believe that it was John R. Rice who when preaching against the liquor crowd was told that if he continued that he was going to be shot and killed. John R. Rice answered the person that threatened him, “You don’t frighten me when you threaten me with heaven!”
C. The Great Directive from Him. (Vv. 19-20)
John was commissioned to write what the Lord wanted him to write. There was no reluctance on the part of John. What he was to write about would cover the entire church age and then record the time of Great Tribulation. After the Great Tribulation, John would tell about the second coming of the Lord when He fights the Battle of Armageddon. He will write concerning the thousand year reign during the kingdom Age to be followed by the Battle of Gog and Magog. He will show the doom of Satan, the beast, and the false prophet. There will be much more in addition to this in which John will be writing.
1. Told John to write the things in the past that he saw. (Vv. 19a)
When John was told to write the things that he saw, he was being given a natural division of the way Revelation was to be written, the first part of Revelation deals with the immediate revealing of Christ. This is a major part of Revelation in that it sets the tone for the entire book. One must have a proper respect for the One who is being revealed and to what purpose He is being revealed.
The first chapter may be a very brief part of the total study, but it is a very important part. It is in this section that we see the integrity of Christ and the majesty of Christ unfolded.
2. Told John to write the things in the present that he saw. (Vv. 19b)
This instruction tells John to write to the present church age or the “things which are.” The seven churches were churches that actually existed when John was writing the Book of Revelation. The Lord wanted these seven churches to hear from Him and learn of Him. It will be interesting to note that the Lord is very longsuffering during the church age while He pleads with the churches to repent and to do right. When the age of grace and opportunity is expended, then the Lord will come with great indignation and fury to bring to justice those who have stood against the holy things of God.
3. Told John to write the things prophetical that he saw. (Vv. 19c)
The major portion of Revelation will deal with this third section of study. There will be much explanation given as we will be looking at the seven trumpets, the seven vials, the seven seals, The four horsemen, the great harlot, Babylon the great, and the Great White Throne Judgment, etc. John will explore all of these events and more that are yet future that we call eschatology. These things will be covered in this third section. Before this third section, which covers the prophetic events, takes place we will look very closely at the seven churches that reveals the entire scope of church History.
D. The Great Defining By Him. (V. 20)
The Lord is concluding this first section with an explanation of what these symbols represent. He uses the word mystery to denote that there is a hidden meaning that is to be revealed.
1. Defined the mystery of the seven stars. (Vv. 20a)
The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches with the word angel meaning messenger or pastor.
2. Defined the mystery of the seven candlesticks. (Vv. 20b)
The seven candlesticks are the churches that are located in Asia Minor.
CONCLUSION: The writer of the Revelation prophecy that the Lord chose to use is John. We learned that God qualified him to write this most important Book. We have also learned that Jesus Christ is being revealed to show the way that He works with the church and how He will bring swift and sure judgment upon the earth after the church age.
Before we look beyond the church age, may we see what is now going on in our churches and profit thereby. When we recognize that we need to be challenged or corrected, may we have a sensitive spirit to that end.
