1 00:00:12,240 --> 00:00:16,720 I do hope even in our passage this evening, you can see the language 2 00:00:16,720 --> 00:00:20,320 of Revelation coming through in that hymn. 3 00:00:20,560 --> 00:00:25,000 Who was and is and is to come, the first, the last, the Alpha, the 4 00:00:25,000 --> 00:00:27,490 Omega, the risen Satan, Savior. 5 00:00:28,050 --> 00:00:31,890 And to that cry of every tribe and nation and tongue that we'll 6 00:00:31,890 --> 00:00:35,250 get to in Revelation 7, singing Amen. 7 00:00:35,570 --> 00:00:38,690 And salvation belongs to our God. 8 00:00:39,730 --> 00:00:43,410 I think as we make our way through Revelation, we will discover 9 00:00:43,410 --> 00:00:47,170 how much of our singing actually comes from Revelation. 10 00:00:47,170 --> 00:00:48,290 And why shouldn't it? 11 00:00:49,170 --> 00:00:53,770 Because Revelation is that great unveiling where the curtain 12 00:00:53,850 --> 00:01:00,170 is pulled for us to see what is the glory of eternity. 13 00:01:01,930 --> 00:01:06,770 Well, we might be thinking of the glory of eternity, but there 14 00:01:06,770 --> 00:01:11,450 was one night a number of days ago that wasn't too glorious for 15 00:01:11,450 --> 00:01:11,770 me. 16 00:01:12,730 --> 00:01:15,970 I don't know if you've ever had the experience that I am speaking 17 00:01:15,970 --> 00:01:17,930 of with mistaken identity. 18 00:01:17,930 --> 00:01:19,370 Now, I know, I know. 19 00:01:19,370 --> 00:01:23,590 I walk through this village and people say, you know, there goes 20 00:01:23,590 --> 00:01:24,510 somebody famous. 21 00:01:24,830 --> 00:01:25,470 Who is it? 22 00:01:25,950 --> 00:01:26,910 It's Brad Pitt. 23 00:01:26,910 --> 00:01:29,910 And I know, look, I'm sorry, it's not Brad Pitt, it's me. 24 00:01:29,910 --> 00:01:30,750 It's just me. 25 00:01:30,750 --> 00:01:32,950 I know there's a mistake in identity, but it wasn't that kind 26 00:01:32,950 --> 00:01:35,830 of mistaken identity, unfortunately, because it wasn't 27 00:01:35,830 --> 00:01:39,110 them who mistook me, it was me who mistook someone else. 28 00:01:39,110 --> 00:01:41,550 I was coming out of the barbican, it was quite late in the 29 00:01:41,550 --> 00:01:45,110 evening, and I passed someone who looked at me as I tried to place 30 00:01:45,110 --> 00:01:45,910 them in my head. 31 00:01:45,910 --> 00:01:47,950 And they looked intently as if they knew who I was. 32 00:01:47,950 --> 00:01:50,790 So I thought, well, if they think they know who I am, I better 33 00:01:50,790 --> 00:01:52,150 try and figure out who they are. 34 00:01:52,630 --> 00:01:56,470 It was dark, it was while I was sick, so I was not feeling great, 35 00:01:56,870 --> 00:01:59,510 and nothing came to mind as to who this was. 36 00:01:59,990 --> 00:02:04,070 And so as I walked to my car, I thought to myself, well, they looked 37 00:02:04,070 --> 00:02:06,790 at me, so I need to think who that was. 38 00:02:07,750 --> 00:02:10,230 And as I walked to the car, I saw, oh, there's a car I recognize. 39 00:02:10,230 --> 00:02:12,070 And I matched the person with the car. 40 00:02:12,070 --> 00:02:13,670 And immediately I thought I knew who it was. 41 00:02:13,670 --> 00:02:16,830 And not wanting to appear rude, I waited until they finished 42 00:02:16,830 --> 00:02:17,390 in the shop. 43 00:02:17,390 --> 00:02:20,630 And then as they were walking across the car park, I approached 44 00:02:20,630 --> 00:02:20,870 them. 45 00:02:21,780 --> 00:02:25,180 Now, the key thing to remember here, that it's dark and I'm not 46 00:02:25,180 --> 00:02:30,140 feeling 100% and I greet the person and start chatting away to 47 00:02:30,140 --> 00:02:30,420 them. 48 00:02:31,300 --> 00:02:33,540 I could see them looking strangely at me. 49 00:02:34,100 --> 00:02:35,940 Now, I thought it was just the darkness. 50 00:02:36,500 --> 00:02:39,900 So I continued in my conversation and I stopped for a 51 00:02:39,900 --> 00:02:40,340 breath. 52 00:02:40,740 --> 00:02:45,620 And this was their opportunity to ask me the stomach wrenching question 53 00:02:45,700 --> 00:02:47,950 of who are you? 54 00:02:49,310 --> 00:02:53,990 Still, I was undeterred and not fully reading the situation because, 55 00:02:53,990 --> 00:02:56,230 remember, I'm still unwell with a slight fever. 56 00:02:56,230 --> 00:02:58,750 I Exclaim, I'm the Reverend McCullough. 57 00:03:00,270 --> 00:03:02,270 I nearly said, don't you know who I am? 58 00:03:02,750 --> 00:03:03,630 But I didn't. 59 00:03:04,270 --> 00:03:07,870 Now, their continued blank look should have been enough for 60 00:03:07,870 --> 00:03:10,670 me to realize that this wasn't going the way I thought. 61 00:03:10,670 --> 00:03:16,480 But I continued assuming that their eyesight was impaired by the 62 00:03:16,480 --> 00:03:18,000 darkness of the night. 63 00:03:18,560 --> 00:03:22,480 It wasn't until I stopped to draw another breath that the person 64 00:03:22,560 --> 00:03:26,800 interjected and said, I think you have the wrong person. 65 00:03:28,080 --> 00:03:33,760 And they were right, as they got into a completely different car 66 00:03:35,040 --> 00:03:36,720 that I thought they should be getting into. 67 00:03:38,080 --> 00:03:39,280 It was one of those moments. 68 00:03:40,160 --> 00:03:41,040 We've all had them. 69 00:03:41,600 --> 00:03:45,840 It's one of those moments when you know that you wish the ground 70 00:03:45,840 --> 00:03:50,120 would swallow you up, or that you tried not to be polite and wait 71 00:03:50,120 --> 00:03:54,160 and say hello to the person and simply just gone home. 72 00:03:54,960 --> 00:03:58,440 And I think we're generally good at identifying people, so when 73 00:03:58,440 --> 00:04:02,440 we get it wrong, we can just feel the weight of the world upon 74 00:04:02,440 --> 00:04:04,560 us and the embarrassment of the red cheeks. 75 00:04:06,090 --> 00:04:08,770 You see, we're good at identifying people, perhaps in better 76 00:04:08,770 --> 00:04:12,890 light and not with a fever, because we know people to see, and 77 00:04:12,890 --> 00:04:14,250 so we will speak to them. 78 00:04:14,730 --> 00:04:17,770 And when we meet someone we know well, we'll at least warmly 79 00:04:17,770 --> 00:04:19,290 greet them as we pass each other. 80 00:04:19,290 --> 00:04:21,690 Or at best we will stop and we'll have a chat. 81 00:04:22,890 --> 00:04:27,450 And in the second half of this first chapter of Revelation, we actually 82 00:04:27,610 --> 00:04:29,690 see a warm reunion. 83 00:04:30,820 --> 00:04:36,900 John is the disciple whom Jesus loved John who's writing Revelation 84 00:04:37,300 --> 00:04:40,780 John was at Jesus side while reclining in the upper room at the 85 00:04:40,780 --> 00:04:41,460 Last Supper. 86 00:04:41,700 --> 00:04:44,380 He was one of the three disciples to see the transfigured 87 00:04:44,380 --> 00:04:44,820 Jesus. 88 00:04:44,820 --> 00:04:49,060 And he was the one who was at the side of Mary as Jesus was crucified. 89 00:04:49,940 --> 00:04:54,340 And what John sees next would be familiar to him in one way. 90 00:04:55,220 --> 00:04:58,540 But instead of seeing the Jesus he knew and expected while 91 00:04:58,540 --> 00:05:03,480 he was on earth, he he is given an image of who Jesus is now, 92 00:05:04,120 --> 00:05:08,120 the risen glorious Savior in eternity. 93 00:05:09,560 --> 00:05:13,720 And to understand this fully, we need to go back to verse three 94 00:05:13,960 --> 00:05:14,920 of chapter one. 95 00:05:14,920 --> 00:05:18,040 Maybe you thought last week I rushed over chapter three quite quickly. 96 00:05:18,760 --> 00:05:22,440 Well, what I want to say about verse three this evening, it's important 97 00:05:22,440 --> 00:05:26,560 for us to understand this bit and the next two chapters. 98 00:05:27,360 --> 00:05:31,280 See, verse three introduces us to the purpose of the Revelation, 99 00:05:31,280 --> 00:05:32,800 and it's one of prophecy. 100 00:05:33,120 --> 00:05:37,440 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, 101 00:05:37,840 --> 00:05:42,040 and blessed are those who hear and who keep what is written in it. 102 00:05:42,040 --> 00:05:44,160 For the time is near. 103 00:05:45,520 --> 00:05:52,330 Now, technically speaking, Revelation is not necessarily the. 104 00:05:52,480 --> 00:05:56,400 The same prophetic books that we would have in the Old Testament. 105 00:05:57,360 --> 00:06:00,480 In many ways, we read it more like the tail end of Daniel, which 106 00:06:00,480 --> 00:06:02,080 is end times. 107 00:06:02,960 --> 00:06:03,880 So it's got that sense. 108 00:06:03,880 --> 00:06:07,320 And we know that because it's telling us about the revealing of 109 00:06:07,320 --> 00:06:08,320 the end of human history. 110 00:06:09,920 --> 00:06:13,960 But there is an encouragement here from John, and that is, first 111 00:06:13,960 --> 00:06:15,960 of all, that we need to read this book aloud. 112 00:06:15,960 --> 00:06:18,640 Do you see what it says before we get to the. 113 00:06:19,490 --> 00:06:23,810 The prophecy bit, you know, or he says, read aloud the words. 114 00:06:24,530 --> 00:06:28,170 He wants us to read this book, not simply to sit and just inwardly 115 00:06:28,170 --> 00:06:28,650 digest it. 116 00:06:28,650 --> 00:06:30,050 But I encourage you to read it. 117 00:06:30,450 --> 00:06:33,090 To read it aloud, it takes about 40 minutes. 118 00:06:33,090 --> 00:06:35,890 And I should say some of you have said you went to the Faith Mission, 119 00:06:35,890 --> 00:06:38,690 you got this little book last or during the week. 120 00:06:38,770 --> 00:06:41,650 This is a little scripture journal that has the text of Revelation 121 00:06:41,650 --> 00:06:43,770 on one side and space to write on the other. 122 00:06:43,770 --> 00:06:46,680 And it means you can underline words, highlight words, or whatever 123 00:06:46,680 --> 00:06:47,120 you want to do. 124 00:06:47,120 --> 00:06:48,000 It's a great little book. 125 00:06:48,000 --> 00:06:49,240 £6.25. 126 00:06:49,320 --> 00:06:52,080 The Faith Mission has a number of copies in, and they can get more 127 00:06:52,080 --> 00:06:52,880 if they sell out. 128 00:06:52,880 --> 00:06:56,600 But I would highly recommend, if you want to take this study of 129 00:06:56,600 --> 00:07:00,320 Revelation, then have a little book like this so that you can jot 130 00:07:00,320 --> 00:07:04,320 down and highlight and cross things and make things as you want 131 00:07:04,320 --> 00:07:05,160 to understand them. 132 00:07:05,560 --> 00:07:07,480 So the encouragement here is to read this book. 133 00:07:07,560 --> 00:07:09,960 The encouragement here is to read it aloud. 134 00:07:10,930 --> 00:07:11,890 It's 40 minutes. 135 00:07:12,210 --> 00:07:13,330 Can you do that in a day? 136 00:07:13,330 --> 00:07:14,370 Can you do it over two days? 137 00:07:14,370 --> 00:07:15,490 But read it through. 138 00:07:16,370 --> 00:07:19,570 But we are to read this book prophetically. 139 00:07:20,850 --> 00:07:24,210 Now, the question is, what does prophetically mean? 140 00:07:24,930 --> 00:07:27,930 As I introduced this book last week, I said that a lot of the time 141 00:07:27,930 --> 00:07:31,370 we will turn to Scripture itself to help us understand God 142 00:07:31,370 --> 00:07:34,890 is not so unkind and uncaring that he wouldn't give us a book that 143 00:07:34,890 --> 00:07:35,570 we couldn't understand. 144 00:07:37,090 --> 00:07:39,930 And like every book in Scripture, as you will see in every 145 00:07:39,930 --> 00:07:43,450 sermon that I preach, it is the rest of Scripture that supports 146 00:07:43,450 --> 00:07:46,970 or helps us understand what has been said in the passages. 147 00:07:46,970 --> 00:07:51,330 Because remember, the story of Scripture is one story from beginning 148 00:07:51,490 --> 00:07:52,130 to end. 149 00:07:53,250 --> 00:07:56,170 So when we read of the Old Testament prophets, when we read 150 00:07:56,170 --> 00:08:00,250 the major and the minor prophets, we can see that they warn 151 00:08:00,250 --> 00:08:02,770 the people of God what is ahead of them. 152 00:08:04,050 --> 00:08:06,130 They will tell them what is the future. 153 00:08:07,010 --> 00:08:12,850 And so all too often, we think that prophecy is just exclusively 154 00:08:13,010 --> 00:08:18,930 future telling, but that future telling is always grounded 155 00:08:18,930 --> 00:08:23,570 in the context in which the people find themselves at that time. 156 00:08:24,290 --> 00:08:28,050 And so when you survey how much is written in the prophets, 157 00:08:28,370 --> 00:08:31,890 you begin to see that more words are used to tell the people 158 00:08:31,970 --> 00:08:36,190 about their current reality, where they find themselves, what 159 00:08:36,190 --> 00:08:39,030 their worship of God is like and who their enemies are. 160 00:08:39,030 --> 00:08:41,270 That's what the prophets dedicate themselves to. 161 00:08:41,270 --> 00:08:45,110 And often that is used in a bizarre or that is often told through 162 00:08:45,110 --> 00:08:47,270 a bizarre example of what has to be done. 163 00:08:47,590 --> 00:08:52,310 Sitting in a well or a cistern, marrying a prostitute, buying 164 00:08:52,310 --> 00:08:54,870 land that you'll never take ownership of. 165 00:08:55,590 --> 00:09:00,550 God uses these images in prophecy to tell the people what 166 00:09:00,550 --> 00:09:03,750 their current reality is, what their situation is. 167 00:09:03,910 --> 00:09:06,950 And often it is a situation of peril. 168 00:09:07,350 --> 00:09:12,110 And once the context is set, then words are used as a warning 169 00:09:12,110 --> 00:09:13,190 of what will happen. 170 00:09:13,750 --> 00:09:16,630 That's future telling if they do not repent. 171 00:09:17,350 --> 00:09:21,110 So when we read the word prophecy, we must not jump to think 172 00:09:21,350 --> 00:09:23,910 that it is only foretelling the future. 173 00:09:25,110 --> 00:09:29,820 Most of prophecy tells us about our current reality, and that 174 00:09:29,820 --> 00:09:32,420 is what we see in these next few chapters. 175 00:09:33,220 --> 00:09:36,580 And John begins by setting the scene for his readers. 176 00:09:36,900 --> 00:09:39,300 He states that he is on the island of Patmos. 177 00:09:39,300 --> 00:09:42,700 That's the island in the Aegean Sea, opposite Miletus, off 178 00:09:42,700 --> 00:09:44,740 the coast of modern day Turkey. 179 00:09:45,140 --> 00:09:48,740 He is clear in saying that he is with his brothers and sisters 180 00:09:48,740 --> 00:09:51,500 in Christ as they endure the tribulation. 181 00:09:51,500 --> 00:09:54,660 Now, tribulation is a word that's going to come up again. 182 00:09:54,660 --> 00:09:59,050 But from this verse we see that John is speaking in the present 183 00:09:59,130 --> 00:10:02,530 tense about what all Christians are facing at the hands 184 00:10:02,530 --> 00:10:03,690 of the Roman authorities. 185 00:10:04,170 --> 00:10:08,130 And it is because of this tribulation, it's because of his 186 00:10:08,130 --> 00:10:11,890 witness of Christ and because of the word of God that he is imprisoned 187 00:10:11,890 --> 00:10:12,490 on the island. 188 00:10:12,810 --> 00:10:16,090 He's been put there, he's been sent away so that he will not spread 189 00:10:16,090 --> 00:10:17,370 the message of the Gospel. 190 00:10:18,250 --> 00:10:23,170 But look at how even an island prison doesn't stop the word of the 191 00:10:23,170 --> 00:10:23,530 lord. 192 00:10:24,160 --> 00:10:28,480 Because verse 11 says to us, I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, 193 00:10:28,800 --> 00:10:32,720 and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet. 194 00:10:34,880 --> 00:10:39,520 Now, when we hear of John speaking that he was in the Spirit, 195 00:10:40,560 --> 00:10:43,680 there is a movement of God going on in John's life. 196 00:10:44,000 --> 00:10:47,200 And that is clear in what is then revealed to him in the Revelation. 197 00:10:48,080 --> 00:10:53,070 But once again, we see this already in Scripture, because this 198 00:10:53,070 --> 00:10:58,190 is the same expression that is used for the kind of experience that 199 00:10:58,190 --> 00:11:02,750 Old Testament prophets had, such as Moses, Isaiah, and Jeremiah, 200 00:11:02,750 --> 00:11:07,030 who were described to be in the Spirit as the Lord revealed to 201 00:11:07,030 --> 00:11:07,350 them. 202 00:11:08,150 --> 00:11:11,910 And so, like these prophets of old, John was commanded to write 203 00:11:11,910 --> 00:11:13,030 down what he saw. 204 00:11:13,830 --> 00:11:17,870 And John was continuing to worship God regardless of the circumstances 205 00:11:17,870 --> 00:11:19,190 he found himself in. 206 00:11:19,270 --> 00:11:23,790 And as he worships and as the Spirit leads him, he hears a voice 207 00:11:23,790 --> 00:11:24,310 behind him. 208 00:11:24,310 --> 00:11:26,310 Now, what is interesting, it's a verse or two. 209 00:11:26,310 --> 00:11:32,750 Yet before John will actually turn round and notice what or how 210 00:11:32,750 --> 00:11:37,350 he describes that voice like a trumpet. 211 00:11:39,510 --> 00:11:43,350 Now, this is one of John's most used phrases in the book, the 212 00:11:43,350 --> 00:11:44,950 little word like. 213 00:11:46,550 --> 00:11:50,310 John is a mere human being. 214 00:11:51,350 --> 00:11:53,510 He is not the divine. 215 00:11:54,550 --> 00:11:57,110 What does God tell us throughout Scripture? 216 00:11:57,510 --> 00:12:02,470 No one can see my face and live because he is a pure and a perfect 217 00:12:02,470 --> 00:12:03,430 and a holy God. 218 00:12:03,670 --> 00:12:08,310 So what has been revealed to John is the best that his human understanding 219 00:12:08,310 --> 00:12:09,270 can comprehend. 220 00:12:09,430 --> 00:12:13,430 That's why the word like comes up again and again. 221 00:12:14,800 --> 00:12:17,960 So John is doing his best to capture for us what he sees and what 222 00:12:17,960 --> 00:12:18,560 he hears. 223 00:12:18,960 --> 00:12:23,560 So the command from this voice is loud like a trumpet and cannot 224 00:12:23,560 --> 00:12:24,320 be ignored. 225 00:12:24,880 --> 00:12:27,880 That's why whenever my parents bought me a trumpet one Christmas 226 00:12:27,880 --> 00:12:30,800 for my birthday, just three weeks later, they bought me a silent 227 00:12:30,800 --> 00:12:35,440 mute, because the noise of a trumpet is so loud it needs to be 228 00:12:35,440 --> 00:12:36,160 quietened. 229 00:12:36,400 --> 00:12:38,000 You can't ignore a trumpet. 230 00:12:39,360 --> 00:12:43,320 And so here's a voice like a trumpet that cannot be ignored. 231 00:12:43,720 --> 00:12:46,760 John commanded to write down this instruction. 232 00:12:48,920 --> 00:12:53,240 And it is a message to the seven churches that are listed in 233 00:12:53,240 --> 00:12:53,760 verse 11. 234 00:12:53,760 --> 00:12:55,200 And here they are on the map. 235 00:12:55,200 --> 00:12:59,040 And in the weeks to come, we'll look at each of these churches 236 00:12:59,040 --> 00:12:59,680 individually. 237 00:12:59,680 --> 00:13:03,000 There in the red, spread across Asia Minor. 238 00:13:03,320 --> 00:13:06,400 Now, it's only in verse 12 that now John turns around to the 239 00:13:06,400 --> 00:13:09,760 direction of the voice and sees the first of our images for 240 00:13:09,760 --> 00:13:10,440 this evening. 241 00:13:11,120 --> 00:13:18,160 He sees someone who looks like a human, he says in verses 12 and 242 00:13:18,160 --> 00:13:18,480 13. 243 00:13:18,640 --> 00:13:21,840 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me. 244 00:13:22,080 --> 00:13:25,840 And on turning, I saw seven golden lampstands in the midst of 245 00:13:25,840 --> 00:13:31,280 the lampstands, one like a Son of man, clothed with a long robe 246 00:13:31,360 --> 00:13:34,240 and with a golden sash around his chest. 247 00:13:35,440 --> 00:13:39,560 Now, thankfully, the text does help us to identify what the lampstands 248 00:13:39,560 --> 00:13:39,720 are. 249 00:13:39,720 --> 00:13:41,920 And at the end of the chapter in verse 20, we're told that the 250 00:13:41,920 --> 00:13:45,660 lampstands are the seven churches mentioned in verse 11, and 251 00:13:45,660 --> 00:13:47,740 who will then appear in chapter 2. 252 00:13:48,860 --> 00:13:52,900 But it is the person that he looks upon that we need Scripture 253 00:13:52,900 --> 00:13:58,020 to help us understand, because the term Son of Man in this verse 254 00:13:58,020 --> 00:13:59,820 is not new to Scripture. 255 00:14:00,780 --> 00:14:06,140 And in it, John expresses more than simply seeing a glorified human 256 00:14:06,140 --> 00:14:06,540 being. 257 00:14:07,420 --> 00:14:10,340 We will of course, know that Jesus was described as the Son of 258 00:14:10,340 --> 00:14:13,740 Man during his earthly ministry, and that's how he defined 259 00:14:13,740 --> 00:14:15,680 himself, the Son of Man. 260 00:14:16,800 --> 00:14:22,920 But what we're seeing here in this end times literature is reflected 261 00:14:22,920 --> 00:14:27,920 in another book of end time literature, the Book of Daniel. 262 00:14:28,480 --> 00:14:31,200 Now, I confessed last week that I had thought about doing Daniel 263 00:14:31,200 --> 00:14:34,280 in the morning and Revelation in the evening, but that all felt 264 00:14:34,280 --> 00:14:37,760 maybe just a little bit too much for us to have to deal with. 265 00:14:38,240 --> 00:14:41,280 And so in due course, at some point, we will come to Daniel, but 266 00:14:41,280 --> 00:14:44,190 we'll cover quite a fair bit whenever we go through the Book of 267 00:14:44,190 --> 00:14:44,790 Revelation. 268 00:14:45,430 --> 00:14:49,590 And so here, as John is seeing this and as he's writing it down, 269 00:14:49,590 --> 00:14:54,270 there's a connection with the person that Daniel sees and wrote 270 00:14:54,270 --> 00:14:54,550 about. 271 00:14:54,950 --> 00:14:58,070 When the curtain between heaven and earth was pulled back 272 00:14:58,070 --> 00:15:03,790 for him 700 years before John and Daniel wrote in Daniel 7 and 273 00:15:03,790 --> 00:15:08,510 verses 13 and 14, I saw in the night visions, and behold, with clouds 274 00:15:08,510 --> 00:15:10,870 of heaven, there came one like. 275 00:15:11,030 --> 00:15:13,670 Again this word like a Son of Man. 276 00:15:14,190 --> 00:15:18,270 And he came to the ancient of days and was presented before him. 277 00:15:18,510 --> 00:15:22,270 And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom that all 278 00:15:22,270 --> 00:15:25,150 peoples, nations and languages should serve him. 279 00:15:25,310 --> 00:15:29,950 His dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away, 280 00:15:30,590 --> 00:15:34,350 and his kingdom, one that shall not be destroyed. 281 00:15:35,230 --> 00:15:39,790 The Son of Man that Daniel writes about is a commanding, redeeming 282 00:15:39,790 --> 00:15:41,150 and glorious figure. 283 00:15:41,150 --> 00:15:45,390 And Daniel's prophecy about him shaped the Jewish people's expectations 284 00:15:45,930 --> 00:15:47,690 for what the Messiah would be like. 285 00:15:47,930 --> 00:15:51,330 And it's no wonder that the people in Jesus day had such a hard 286 00:15:51,330 --> 00:15:54,610 time believing Jesus when he referred to himself as the Son of 287 00:15:54,610 --> 00:15:54,850 Man. 288 00:15:54,850 --> 00:15:58,490 Because that was their only context of what Daniel had said. 289 00:15:59,290 --> 00:16:03,850 Because he was someone from their vantage point who was simply 290 00:16:03,850 --> 00:16:07,770 an ordinary person from a humble place of Nazareth. 291 00:16:08,010 --> 00:16:10,330 He had a ragtag group of followers. 292 00:16:10,650 --> 00:16:15,080 And how could this simple man be the Son of Man given dominion 293 00:16:15,080 --> 00:16:18,840 and glory and kingdom, as Daniel had prophesied and even those 294 00:16:18,840 --> 00:16:19,560 closest to him? 295 00:16:19,560 --> 00:16:23,040 The disciples struggled to accept that Jesus was the Son of 296 00:16:23,040 --> 00:16:23,360 Man. 297 00:16:23,440 --> 00:16:27,040 As they saw him eating with prostitutes, sleeping on the boat, 298 00:16:27,440 --> 00:16:32,440 and walking the streets with dusty feet, they had to ask themselves, 299 00:16:32,440 --> 00:16:35,840 was this truly the Son of Man that they had been waiting for? 300 00:16:36,160 --> 00:16:39,760 And even after Jesus ascended into heaven, it didn't come naturally 301 00:16:39,760 --> 00:16:43,630 to them to imagine him as the glorified Son of Man seated at the 302 00:16:43,630 --> 00:16:44,630 right hand of God. 303 00:16:44,630 --> 00:16:49,310 Yet Jesus now gives John this revelation, and he tells him to write 304 00:16:49,310 --> 00:16:49,710 it down. 305 00:16:49,710 --> 00:16:53,510 Because he wants not only his disciples to know and John to know 306 00:16:53,510 --> 00:16:56,350 for those disciples that are still living, but he wants us all 307 00:16:56,350 --> 00:16:59,430 to see him for who and as he is. 308 00:17:00,230 --> 00:17:03,590 He doesn't want us to have our mental picture of him stuck on how 309 00:17:03,590 --> 00:17:06,470 he looked for the 33 years that he walked on earth. 310 00:17:07,030 --> 00:17:14,310 John's vision shows us Jesus as he is and as he wants to be known. 311 00:17:15,609 --> 00:17:20,969 It also shows us where he prefers to be, as verse 13 tells 312 00:17:20,969 --> 00:17:27,689 us, in the midst of the lampstands, in the midst of the church. 313 00:17:29,529 --> 00:17:32,809 As we read this, we see so many similarities with the vision 314 00:17:32,809 --> 00:17:33,769 Daniel has given. 315 00:17:34,009 --> 00:17:37,049 And the first one is the robe that Jesus is wearing. 316 00:17:37,609 --> 00:17:42,500 He's wearing a robe of a priest, a long robe worn as part 317 00:17:42,500 --> 00:17:47,260 of the duties of the shepherds of Israel, the duties that they undertook 318 00:17:47,260 --> 00:17:49,300 in their leading of the worshipping community. 319 00:17:50,180 --> 00:17:54,740 This was specific to them, to be worn to identify them. 320 00:17:54,900 --> 00:17:58,780 And here Jesus is living as what has been said about him in Hebrews 321 00:17:58,780 --> 00:18:00,180 4 and verse 15. 322 00:18:00,660 --> 00:18:03,580 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize 323 00:18:03,580 --> 00:18:06,860 with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted 324 00:18:06,860 --> 00:18:08,250 as we are yet without sin. 325 00:18:08,480 --> 00:18:08,800 Sin. 326 00:18:08,960 --> 00:18:13,280 So we already know the great description of Jesus as our high 327 00:18:13,280 --> 00:18:13,840 priest. 328 00:18:14,080 --> 00:18:17,520 And now John sees him glorified as our true high priest. 329 00:18:17,520 --> 00:18:21,840 Because in Jesus, that is who he is, we have a true high priest 330 00:18:21,840 --> 00:18:27,120 who intercedes between us and God, because we cannot approach God 331 00:18:27,120 --> 00:18:27,760 directly. 332 00:18:28,400 --> 00:18:32,520 He is a high priest who sympathizes with us because he is 333 00:18:32,520 --> 00:18:33,200 one of us. 334 00:18:34,250 --> 00:18:37,210 And the image continues because around his robe is a golden 335 00:18:37,210 --> 00:18:37,610 sash. 336 00:18:38,090 --> 00:18:41,650 But the image now changes because he's no longer a priest with 337 00:18:41,650 --> 00:18:42,530 a golden sash. 338 00:18:42,530 --> 00:18:44,570 This is the position of a king. 339 00:18:45,210 --> 00:18:49,130 And so Jesus is here presented as our mediating priest and as our 340 00:18:49,130 --> 00:18:49,850 true king. 341 00:18:51,370 --> 00:18:54,090 And so he is the one to whom we look, to the one we've been waiting 342 00:18:54,090 --> 00:18:58,330 for, the Messiah now revealed to us in glory. 343 00:18:59,540 --> 00:19:03,460 And as we sung in that hymn, his rich wounds yet visible above 344 00:19:05,140 --> 00:19:06,740 in beauty glorified. 345 00:19:09,300 --> 00:19:14,340 And so here we have our true high priest and our true king, king 346 00:19:14,340 --> 00:19:15,940 over all the nations. 347 00:19:17,540 --> 00:19:21,340 And moving from his clothing, John goes on then to describe how 348 00:19:21,340 --> 00:19:24,180 he looks, his hair and his eyes. 349 00:19:24,990 --> 00:19:28,270 Verse 14 says, the hairs of his head were white like white wool, 350 00:19:28,750 --> 00:19:29,550 like snow. 351 00:19:30,430 --> 00:19:33,230 His eyes were like a flame of fire. 352 00:19:34,190 --> 00:19:37,150 Now again, the original hearers of this turn to Daniel 7 353 00:19:37,230 --> 00:19:40,990 and see the description of the Ancient of days, who is God, who's 354 00:19:40,990 --> 00:19:44,550 sitting on the throne, who has clothing white as snow and the hair 355 00:19:44,550 --> 00:19:46,030 of his head like pure wool. 356 00:19:46,030 --> 00:19:49,950 That's how the Ancient of days is described in Daniel chapter seven. 357 00:19:51,400 --> 00:19:56,280 And this tells us of the wisdom of the all knowing, or the 358 00:19:56,280 --> 00:20:00,960 omniscience of the Son of Man, and assures us without doubt that 359 00:20:00,960 --> 00:20:02,120 he is divine. 360 00:20:02,200 --> 00:20:05,440 And for us this means that the current reality of Jesus is that 361 00:20:05,440 --> 00:20:10,280 he knows exactly what to do, because he does it absolutely, purely 362 00:20:10,760 --> 00:20:11,560 and right. 363 00:20:12,680 --> 00:20:14,040 And you notice his eyes. 364 00:20:14,760 --> 00:20:17,990 His gaze is one that is penetrating. 365 00:20:19,350 --> 00:20:21,750 His eyes were like a flame of fire. 366 00:20:22,710 --> 00:20:25,110 It's a gaze that penetrates our very souls. 367 00:20:26,230 --> 00:20:30,470 They expose every shallowness and sinfulness. 368 00:20:31,350 --> 00:20:37,510 You see, Jesus doesn't just look at us, he looks into us. 369 00:20:38,150 --> 00:20:42,670 And if we're willing to hold his gaze, he will burn away what 370 00:20:42,670 --> 00:20:45,990 is meaningless and frivolous and contaminating. 371 00:20:46,970 --> 00:20:50,290 Now, we shouldn't connect this blazing fire coming from his eyes 372 00:20:50,290 --> 00:20:52,330 as something to run away from. 373 00:20:53,130 --> 00:20:58,570 Rather, we should run to him, welcoming him to burn away what is 374 00:20:58,570 --> 00:20:59,930 displeasing to him. 375 00:21:01,050 --> 00:21:03,770 The next image given to us is in verse 15. 376 00:21:04,330 --> 00:21:10,530 And John sees Jesus feet, that they were like burnished bronze refined 377 00:21:10,530 --> 00:21:11,250 in a furnace. 378 00:21:11,250 --> 00:21:14,290 And once again, the reader is drawn back to Daniel and to the statue 379 00:21:14,290 --> 00:21:18,470 of Nebuchadnezzar that he had constructed, that we saw in his dream. 380 00:21:18,790 --> 00:21:22,590 And we're told in Daniel 2, verses 32 and 33, the head of this 381 00:21:22,590 --> 00:21:26,350 image was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its middle 382 00:21:26,350 --> 00:21:31,670 and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partially of iron 383 00:21:31,830 --> 00:21:33,270 and partially of clay. 384 00:21:34,230 --> 00:21:38,270 Now, this statue in Daniel is different because it is a statue 385 00:21:38,270 --> 00:21:39,710 that is not on a firm foundation. 386 00:21:39,710 --> 00:21:41,110 Iron and clay don't mix. 387 00:21:41,480 --> 00:21:44,040 The clay will eventually wash away, and the weight of the iron, 388 00:21:44,040 --> 00:21:46,440 not only will it rust, but it will pull the statue down. 389 00:21:47,000 --> 00:21:50,600 The difference in Revelation is that the feet are burnished bronze. 390 00:21:51,080 --> 00:21:53,960 Now, bronze is a combination of iron and copper. 391 00:21:54,200 --> 00:21:56,280 Iron is strong, but it rusts. 392 00:21:56,600 --> 00:21:58,840 Copper won't rust, but it is pliable. 393 00:21:59,320 --> 00:22:03,680 And when the two are combined into bronze, the best quality of 394 00:22:03,680 --> 00:22:05,320 each is preserved. 395 00:22:05,800 --> 00:22:10,070 And so what we're seeing here in Revelation is, is that the foundation 396 00:22:10,070 --> 00:22:15,430 of Jesus power has been tested by fire and it will endure. 397 00:22:15,830 --> 00:22:19,350 It's not going to be a crumbling statue that Nebuchadnezzar 398 00:22:19,350 --> 00:22:19,670 saw. 399 00:22:20,150 --> 00:22:22,390 He will stand for all eternity. 400 00:22:23,350 --> 00:22:25,870 The last thing we're told about the Son of Man is that his 401 00:22:25,870 --> 00:22:28,710 voice was like the roar of many waters. 402 00:22:29,270 --> 00:22:32,190 Now, the loudest sound of water that I have ever heard is that 403 00:22:32,190 --> 00:22:33,430 of Niagara Falls. 404 00:22:34,240 --> 00:22:37,240 It is loud enough when standing above the falls, but when 405 00:22:37,240 --> 00:22:40,080 you go on the Maid of the Mist, that boat that takes you as 406 00:22:40,080 --> 00:22:43,320 close to the foot of the falls as you can go, then you can't even 407 00:22:43,320 --> 00:22:45,200 hear another person speak. 408 00:22:45,840 --> 00:22:51,120 John hears a voice of power, but it's also a voice of authority, 409 00:22:52,480 --> 00:22:55,600 the glorified and enthroned voice of Jesus. 410 00:22:56,080 --> 00:22:57,920 Is one that is commanding. 411 00:22:58,480 --> 00:23:01,500 It's unavoidable and it's overwhelming. 412 00:23:01,500 --> 00:23:04,660 You see, Jesus cannot be ignored. 413 00:23:06,020 --> 00:23:09,180 And the final image that we're given is in verse or images are in 414 00:23:09,180 --> 00:23:10,100 verse 16. 415 00:23:11,140 --> 00:23:14,180 In his right hand he held seven stars. 416 00:23:14,500 --> 00:23:18,980 From his mouth came a sharp two edged sword and his face was 417 00:23:18,980 --> 00:23:22,260 like the sun shining in full strength. 418 00:23:23,460 --> 00:23:26,620 The seven stars are interpreted for us in verse 20 as 419 00:23:26,620 --> 00:23:28,980 the angels are of the seven churches. 420 00:23:29,540 --> 00:23:32,900 But there may be more significance to this than first meets 421 00:23:32,900 --> 00:23:33,460 the eye. 422 00:23:34,260 --> 00:23:37,940 Jesus is holding the stars in his right hand. 423 00:23:39,540 --> 00:23:43,780 The right hand was known as the hand that keeps the most precious 424 00:23:43,860 --> 00:23:45,620 things closest to you. 425 00:23:46,740 --> 00:23:50,820 But he's also demonstrating something that to his original hearers 426 00:23:50,820 --> 00:23:56,350 was countercultural because the stars were controlled by Greek 427 00:23:56,430 --> 00:24:01,630 and Roman gods and people would consult the stars to find out 428 00:24:01,630 --> 00:24:02,270 their future. 429 00:24:03,230 --> 00:24:06,510 In fact, we're told that not only did these Greek gods control 430 00:24:07,150 --> 00:24:10,990 the stars, but they held them in their hands. 431 00:24:12,030 --> 00:24:14,950 So Jesus is now doing something of an image that would 432 00:24:14,950 --> 00:24:17,790 have been very clear to the original hearers, because Jesus is 433 00:24:17,790 --> 00:24:21,630 demonstrating that no false God, no emperor holds them. 434 00:24:22,220 --> 00:24:22,780 He does. 435 00:24:22,940 --> 00:24:27,020 The universe is held together by him and in him. 436 00:24:27,660 --> 00:24:32,420 As Paul confirms in Colossians 1:17, that was used for our assurance 437 00:24:32,420 --> 00:24:33,740 of pardon this evening. 438 00:24:34,460 --> 00:24:38,100 Next, John sees the mouth of Jesus and he doesn't just hear his 439 00:24:38,100 --> 00:24:40,540 voice, because out of his mouth is a two edged sword. 440 00:24:40,620 --> 00:24:43,100 And the image here is one of words of judgment. 441 00:24:43,260 --> 00:24:46,180 Because as John hears Jesus speak, and by the way, this image 442 00:24:46,180 --> 00:24:47,580 will come up again in Revelation. 443 00:24:47,740 --> 00:24:49,820 He felt the penetrating power of His Word. 444 00:24:49,820 --> 00:24:52,700 So it's not just his penetrating eyes, it's His Word. 445 00:24:52,700 --> 00:24:54,450 And why should that surprise us? 446 00:24:54,450 --> 00:24:59,690 Because he is the Word with a capital W. In the beginning was the 447 00:24:59,690 --> 00:25:03,970 Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 448 00:25:05,010 --> 00:25:07,090 See, the words of Jesus are true. 449 00:25:08,050 --> 00:25:10,290 The words of Jesus are unchanging. 450 00:25:11,490 --> 00:25:14,610 And the words of Jesus have penetrating power. 451 00:25:15,650 --> 00:25:21,380 These are the words that will challenge the seven churches, and 452 00:25:21,380 --> 00:25:25,580 indeed us in their and our faithfulness to Him. 453 00:25:26,700 --> 00:25:29,900 The final aspect of Jesus that John describes is his face. 454 00:25:30,940 --> 00:25:35,100 And this is an image that draws us back right to Moses and 455 00:25:35,100 --> 00:25:40,620 Numbers, chapter 6 and verse 24, that great Aaronic blessing. 456 00:25:40,940 --> 00:25:42,380 The Lord bless you and keep you. 457 00:25:42,380 --> 00:25:46,220 The Lord make his face to shine upon you. 458 00:25:46,950 --> 00:25:47,990 Be gracious to you. 459 00:25:47,990 --> 00:25:51,190 The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you 460 00:25:51,190 --> 00:25:51,590 peace. 461 00:25:52,070 --> 00:25:56,030 Here John is saying Jesus heavenly glory, something that he's 462 00:25:56,030 --> 00:25:58,710 seen before in the transfiguration in Matthew 17. 463 00:25:59,110 --> 00:26:02,629 But the Lord Jesus looks upon us so that we may know his glory 464 00:26:02,629 --> 00:26:03,910 and we may trust him. 465 00:26:04,150 --> 00:26:05,750 And what is John's response? 466 00:26:05,750 --> 00:26:09,150 Well, the only response that is worthy of such a glorified Savior 467 00:26:09,150 --> 00:26:13,840 with his face shining with glory is to follow at his feet. 468 00:26:14,240 --> 00:26:18,800 But this response of John is soon overshadowed by the action of 469 00:26:18,800 --> 00:26:23,600 Jesus, because here's what Jesus does and here's what Jesus 470 00:26:23,600 --> 00:26:24,000 says. 471 00:26:25,360 --> 00:26:31,920 Jesus there laid his right hand, John says on me, saying, fear 472 00:26:32,800 --> 00:26:33,200 not. 473 00:26:34,080 --> 00:26:37,440 I am the first and the last and the living one. 474 00:26:37,680 --> 00:26:38,400 I died. 475 00:26:38,400 --> 00:26:40,800 And behold, I am alive forevermore. 476 00:26:40,820 --> 00:26:40,980 And. 477 00:26:41,210 --> 00:26:45,050 And I have the keys of death and Hades. 478 00:26:46,170 --> 00:26:47,610 Jesus speaks. 479 00:26:48,410 --> 00:26:55,850 And Jesus touches John and says to him that he is seeing his 480 00:26:55,930 --> 00:26:57,610 true Savior. 481 00:26:58,730 --> 00:27:04,770 You see, John is seeing who Jesus is differently, yes, but who 482 00:27:04,770 --> 00:27:05,770 he presently is. 483 00:27:05,770 --> 00:27:11,100 And he's told to fear not such beautiful and wonderful words. 484 00:27:12,060 --> 00:27:16,660 You see, the Gospel is not a message of fear, but it is a message 485 00:27:16,660 --> 00:27:19,340 of love that drives out fear. 486 00:27:19,820 --> 00:27:23,740 The Gospel is a message that should draw us to the Savior's love 487 00:27:23,820 --> 00:27:26,620 so that we can know it and respond to it. 488 00:27:27,020 --> 00:27:31,500 And Jesus goes on to confirm his divine nature and assures John 489 00:27:31,580 --> 00:27:35,650 and the churches that death no more has the hold over them. 490 00:27:36,210 --> 00:27:40,410 Their faith in Jesus leads them to eternal life and not eternal 491 00:27:40,410 --> 00:27:40,770 death. 492 00:27:41,570 --> 00:27:46,610 So there is nothing to fear, for Jesus has done it all. 493 00:27:48,690 --> 00:27:52,570 This isn't going to be one of those conclusions that's going to 494 00:27:52,570 --> 00:27:54,530 tie everything up so neatly. 495 00:27:54,530 --> 00:27:57,970 Because I hope that as we've gone through this and seen what John 496 00:27:57,970 --> 00:28:02,480 has seen and understanding it, we will see Jesus for who he currently 497 00:28:02,880 --> 00:28:03,280 is. 498 00:28:04,800 --> 00:28:11,280 Not as who he will be, but in a prophetic word, who he is to us 499 00:28:11,680 --> 00:28:12,080 now. 500 00:28:13,360 --> 00:28:17,520 He is the one of authority, commanding authority. 501 00:28:18,160 --> 00:28:21,360 His words penetrate, as does his gaze. 502 00:28:21,680 --> 00:28:25,720 But this is nothing to fear because Christ still puts his hand 503 00:28:25,720 --> 00:28:28,630 on us and says, fear not. 504 00:28:28,630 --> 00:28:33,510 And so I wonder tonight, do you know the reality of who Jesus 505 00:28:33,910 --> 00:28:34,310 is? 506 00:28:35,590 --> 00:28:40,670 He's been presented to us and by the way he's been described in 507 00:28:40,670 --> 00:28:42,710 this passage, and it is complete. 508 00:28:43,269 --> 00:28:45,070 This is who he is in his completeness. 509 00:28:45,070 --> 00:28:48,710 He is our perfect Savior and has his best for his people. 510 00:28:49,590 --> 00:28:51,910 I wonder if this is the Jesus that you know. 511 00:28:53,200 --> 00:28:58,560 I wonder, does this revelation of Jesus as he presently is, is it 512 00:28:58,560 --> 00:29:02,840 the Jesus that you're looking forward to meeting and the Jesus 513 00:29:02,840 --> 00:29:05,200 that you are running to for salvation? 514 00:29:06,000 --> 00:29:09,040 Because let's remind ourselves of what the end of this book says, 515 00:29:09,440 --> 00:29:13,440 that he is coming soon in chapter 22 and verse 12. 516 00:29:13,440 --> 00:29:17,640 And so we must turn to him each and every day to know him for 517 00:29:17,640 --> 00:29:18,640 who he truly is. 518 00:29:20,170 --> 00:29:25,450 See, we live in a world where everything is reduced so we can take 519 00:29:25,450 --> 00:29:27,850 it in quickly and easily. 520 00:29:29,130 --> 00:29:33,210 Instead of reducing Jesus to simplified, understandable, manageable 521 00:29:33,210 --> 00:29:33,610 terms. 522 00:29:34,330 --> 00:29:38,490 The vision that John was given and wrote down for us expands our 523 00:29:38,490 --> 00:29:40,650 vision and engages our imagination. 524 00:29:41,690 --> 00:29:46,090 It causes us to open ourselves up to someone bigger and grander 525 00:29:46,090 --> 00:29:50,330 and more captivating and commanding than we've ever seen before. 526 00:29:52,230 --> 00:29:57,590 And so we find ourselves when we see this Jesus with great glorious 527 00:29:57,750 --> 00:29:58,150 hope. 528 00:29:59,110 --> 00:30:01,990 Hope by seeing the glorified Christ. 529 00:30:03,670 --> 00:30:09,190 Don't mistake his identity for anything other than God's glory. 530 00:30:09,670 --> 00:30:14,510 Don't stumble around in the darkness as I did in the Barbican 531 00:30:14,510 --> 00:30:16,840 car park making a fool of myself. 532 00:30:18,030 --> 00:30:23,710 Whenever we have Jesus presented to us so that indeed we 533 00:30:23,710 --> 00:30:29,870 would have glorious hope, don't run from Him. 534 00:30:31,070 --> 00:30:39,630 Yes, his eyes are penetrating, his voice is loud, but he is absolute 535 00:30:40,030 --> 00:30:40,590 truth. 536 00:30:41,710 --> 00:30:48,830 He is is the one who puts his hand on us and says, fear not. 537 00:30:49,550 --> 00:30:54,590 I have overcome the world and you are mine. 538 00:30:55,950 --> 00:30:58,590 Will you run to this Jesus? 539 00:30:59,870 --> 00:31:06,670 Will you run to him and delight in him as your Savior forevermore? 540 00:31:07,710 --> 00:31:08,440 Let's pray. 541 00:31:10,110 --> 00:31:11,310 Our Father, thank you. 542 00:31:11,470 --> 00:31:13,710 That Jesus is truly Lord of all. 543 00:31:13,710 --> 00:31:17,430 And we see this in how he is presented to us in Revelation 1 this 544 00:31:17,430 --> 00:31:17,870 evening. 545 00:31:18,350 --> 00:31:18,950 Thank you. 546 00:31:18,950 --> 00:31:25,430 That Jesus is the One who calls us to gaze upon him, to see 547 00:31:25,430 --> 00:31:27,790 him as the glorified Christ. 548 00:31:30,750 --> 00:31:32,350 Lord, may we not fear. 549 00:31:33,070 --> 00:31:37,630 But may we run and know his grace and his love so that we will 550 00:31:37,630 --> 00:31:40,870 be sure and certain of a Savior who is ours. 551 00:31:41,910 --> 00:31:48,150 But Father, we must admit our sin, we must admit our wrong so that 552 00:31:48,150 --> 00:31:52,470 we may know the great love of the Savior. 553 00:31:53,510 --> 00:31:56,110 So help us to respond well to our great Lord. 554 00:31:56,110 --> 00:31:59,590 This night we pray in Jesus name. 555 00:32:00,470 --> 00:32:01,030 Amen. 556 00:32:07,260 --> 00:32:16,460 Sam.