THE HEAVENLY VISION
Opening Prayer
Spirit of God, as I journey through Your revelation, reveal yourself to me—let me see Jesus more clearly.
Read Revelation 1
Prologue
1 The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2 who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. 3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.
Greetings and Doxology
4 John,
To the seven churches in the province of Asia:
Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits[a] before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, 6 and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.
7 “Look, he is coming with the clouds,”[b]
and “every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him”;
and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.”[c]
So shall it be! 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.”
John’s Vision of Christ
9 I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10 On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, 11 which said: “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.”
12 I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man,[d] dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. 15 His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.
17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
19 “Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later. 20 The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels[e] of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
Footnotes:
a Revelation 1:4 That is, the sevenfold Spirit
b Revelation 1:7 Daniel 7:13
c Revelation 1:7 Zech. 12:10
d Revelation 1:13 See Daniel 7:13.
e Revelation 1:20 Or messengers
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
How would you feel if you saw Jesus?“John is the writer, but Jesus Christ is the author,” said Grotius. What was the chain of communication (1–3)? This is the only book in the Bible that promises blessing to those who read and obey it (3). It is to be read aloud (3)—a great way to experience and relish the daily readings, if possible.
The churches in what is now Turkey (4) perhaps represent the whole church, as seven was the number meaning completeness. Look each day for what Jesus is saying to the church.
Where was John when he received this unveiling (9,10)? He was in a time and place of heart where God could call him. The result was a vision of the ascended, glorified Christ (13–16), dressed as a priest, with authority (13), yet going through judgment for us (15). This is no helpless babe lying in a manger: that was his first coming. Now he comes again in power and glory. This is the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. The Almighty! That’s why we need this revelation—so that we can see him as he really is (16b). What is John’s reaction to the living Jesus (17)?
Apply
How do you respond to Jesus after this first unveiling? Remember that he is kind and tender (17). Write down what you noticed about Jesus today.
Closing prayer
Jesus, I am excited to learn more about You. Draw me closer to Your heart as I seek to know You more.
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