| THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST |
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| The first Chapter of Revelation helps us to understand the Spirit of Christ throughout the Bible. In the LORD’s Day, we actually see five manifestations of the Spirit of Christ: ① As the Word, vs. 8, and 17 ② As the Son of Man, vs 7, 13, and 18 ③ As the Archangel, WHO IS LIKE GOD, the Ruler of the Angels, vs 13-16, and 20 ④ As the Image of the Invisible God, the Ancient of Days, vs 14, and ⑤ As the Sanctified Body of Christ, vs 14 – 16 As the Word, the Spirit of Christ was the speaker for the invisible God, in the Old Testament and again in the LORD’s Day. We discussed the Spirit of Christ as the Archangel, WHO IS LIKE GOD, the ruler of the Angels in Daniel Chapter 10. The Spirit of Christ has always been “the image of the invisible God” as Paul told us. The Spirit of Christ also appears as the Body of Christ. The Rider on the White Horse as the Body of Christ was well understood by the early Church, as found in the Shepherd of Hermas, 130 AD: “the Spirit that spoke to you in the form of a Church.” [Sim 9, Chapter 1, Verse 1] These five manifestations of the Spirit of Christ are seen in verse 12- 20. |
| 12 I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. Having turned, I saw seven golden lampstands. |
| Rev 1:12 the voice that was speaking with me – the loud voice as a trumpet came from the Spirit of Christ, who we are about to meet. seven golden lampstands – the seven churches, see vs. 20. These lampstands, or lamps, are found in Zech 4:2. |
| 13 And in the midst of the lampstands was one like a son of man, clothed with a robe reaching down to his feet, and with a golden sash around his chest. |
| Rev 1:13 in the middle of the lampstands – the Spirit of Christ in the seven Churches appears as the Son of Man. son of man – this expression was first used in Dan 7:13. with a robe . . . and a golden sash – this is the golden sash of the Angel, WHO IS LIKE GOD, Dan 10:5. The robe may also be the linen of Dan 10:5. The golden sash and the linen are the dress of the Angels that we see in Rev 15:6. |
| 14 His head and his hair were white as white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire. |
| Rev 1:14 Head and hair like white wool – describing the Ancient of Days in Dan 7:9. Eyes were a flame of fire – describing the Archangel, WHO IS LIKE GOD, Dan 10:6. |
| 15 His feet were like burnished brass, as if it had been refined in a furnace. His voice was like the voice of many waters. |
| Rev 1:15 feet like burnished bronze – describing the Archangel, WHO IS LIKE GOD, Dan 10:6; the appearance of bronze also describes the Angel of YHVH in Ezek 40:3. made to glow in a furnace – Christ was the one “like a Son of God” who appeared in the fiery furnace in Dan 3:25. voice like the sound of many waters – this is the sound of the sanctified Church in Ezek 43:2. |
| 16 He had seven stars in his right hand. Out of his mouth proceeded a sharp two-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining at its brightest. |
| Rev 1:16 in his hand He held seven stars – as the ruler of the angels, see vs 20, where the stars are called angels. sharp two edged sword – the sword of the body of Christ, as the Rider in Rev 19:15. His face was like the Sun shining in its strength – as on the mountain in Matt 17:2; the writer of Hebrews told us Christ had “the radiance of the glory of God” (Heb 1:3); and in 2 Cor 4:6, he described “the glory of God in the face of Christ.” |
| 17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet like a dead man. He laid his right hand on me, saying, “Don’t be afraid. I am the first and the last, |
| Rev 1:17 I am the first and the last – in Isa 44:6, Christ speaks for God, saying, “I am the first and the last.” In Isaiah Chapter 44, there are two speakers identified. Yihvah, (the Father), “who made you, and formed you in the womb,” is identified as the speaker from Isa 44:2. Yihvah, (Christ), “the King of Israel and its Redeemer,” is identified as the speaker from Isa 44:6. Of course, both speak “as God,” because Christ was the Word, the speaker for the invisible God. In the last section, that begins in Isa 44:24, both speakers are identified, “thus says, Yihvah your Redeemer, AND, He who formed you from the womb.” The invisible God is the “first and the last.” He is the first and the last LORD. Christ speaks for Him again, in the LORD’s Day, when Christ submits to God, as He did in the Old Testament. |
| 18 and the Living one. I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. I have the keys of Death and of Hades. |
| Rev 1:18 I was dead – as the Son of Man. |
| 19 Write therefore the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will happen hereafter; |
| Rev 1:19 write the things you see – John never interprets for us, he does only as instructed. |
| 20 the mystery of the seven stars which you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands. The seven stars are the angels of the seven assemblies. The seven lampstands are seven assemblies. |
| Rev 1:20 seven stars are angels – angels are called stars in the Book of Revelation, and throughout the Bible. seven lampstands are seven churches – from Zechariah Chapter 4, the lampstands in Zechariah are churches, this helps us understand that the first 6 Chapters of Zechariah are a prophecy of the future covenant. |
