(9) I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. (10) I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, (11) Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea. (12) And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; (13) And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. (14) His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; (15) And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. (16) And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. (17) And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: (18) I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive forevermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. (19) Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter; (20) The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.
The Apostle now enters upon his work, to which the Lord had called him, and begins his relation of it, with an account of himself Where he was, how he was engaged, and the time in which those visions began. There is somewhat very interesting in the Apostle's plain, and artless narrative. A brother, and companion in tribulation to the Church, being at that time in banishment, for the truth as it is in Jesus. It was the Lord's day, not the Jewish sabbath; for though John was by birth a Jew, yet, after the resurrection of Jesus, the followers of Christ changed the seventh day of the week into the first, in honor of Christ, and called it the Lord's day. Reader! this is a full confirmation of the Lord's approving the change. And it is a blessed recommendation to the honoring the Lord's day, when we find, as in the instance of John, on this day the Lord was pleased to make this glorious manifestation of himself to his servant. May not all regenerated believers in Jesus, humbly expect visits, sweet and gracious, from the Lord, on the Lord's day? Who that reads this account of John, in Jesus's mercies toward him on that day of the Lord, but are encouraged to hope, that in honoring those holy seasons, in the congregation of the faithful, we may be also blest, and be in the Spirit on the Lord's day?
I do not venture to enter upon a description, beyond what is here given by the Holy Ghost, concerning the Person and glory of the Lord. It is infinitely sublime, as represented in these words. All attempts to add to it must fail. I shall only beg to call the Reader's attention to some of the many blessed things contained in it; and may the same Almighty Spirit, which was then with John, be with all his people, to give them a right understanding in all things!
And, first. Our grand concern in this, and all other manifestations given of the Lord Jesus Christ is, to pray for a proper, and just apprehension of his Person. Faith's object is Christ. And, therefore, in order to have a right foundation to our faith we must first know Christ, Or our faith in him, will not be correct. We find here, the Lord Jesus taking to himself all divine perfections. The Alpha, and Omega, the first and the last, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. We no less hear him declaring himself under the same distinction of attributes, in his Mediator-character; and, in the moment when he had laid his right-hand upon John, and when he added, I am he that liveth, and was dead, and behold I am alive forevermore! Now, what can more plainly, or more fully confirm all the great and leading truths of our most holy faith, than that Christ is God, and that as Christ, in our nature, he is come forth, from the invisibility of the Godhead, to reveal the will of God to his people. If no man hath seen God at any time, if no man can see the face of God and live, and if the only begotten Son, who lay in the bosom of the Father, hath come forth, and he only, to declare him; can there be a proof wanting, that it is the Son of God, who is one with the Father, and the Holy Ghost, in all the divine attributes, which makes all the revelations that are, or can be made, of himself, and Father, and Spirit, in our nature; and in the moment of such discoveries, manifests his Godhead, by assuming all the perfections of the Godhead and thereby proves that blessed scripture, where it is said, that in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily? Colossians 2:9. Reader! what are your apprehensions of the Person of Christ? Remember, it is the very bottom, and foundation of every other article of faith. Bear with me, while I venture to say to you one plain truth of scripture. No man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost, 1 Corinthians 12:3. When John, as here stated, saw Christ; and when he heard, and received, and recorded the things he had seen; he was in the Spirit. Mark that! And it is God the Spirit now, as much as then, that can alone cause the spirits of men to the belief of this great truth. When the Son of God was upon earth, he referred all his proofs of himself to this divine teaching. The works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me, John 10:25. And as Jesus by the Spirit wrought his miracles, every act of this nature, carried the Spirit's testimony with it, to his Godhead. And I pray the Reader to observe what I am going to add on this subject. John, we are here told, was in the Spirit when he gave this testimony to the Godhead of Christ. And David, we are also told, was under the same blessed teaching, when in Spirit he called Jesus Lord. It is Christ himself which refers to Psalms 110:1 in confirmation of it, when in conversation with the Jews he quoted it: The Lord said unto my Lord; said David. A plain proof of those Persons in the Godhead, and which can be explained on no other ground. Reader! let me take the words of our God and Savior, and put the question to your heart, which He did to the Pharisees: What think you of Christ? Matthew 22:41-46
Secondly. Next to the right apprehension of Christ's Person, as the great, object of faith, is the conviction of all the leading points, which belong to his office, and relations, and character. His full, and finished salvation, is here most completely set forth, and set forth under these strong expressions: Fear not, I am the first and the last. I am he that liveth, and was dead, and behold I am alive forevermore: Amen, and have the keys of hell and of death. Observe, what immense things are here spoken of by the Lord Jesus, for his redeemed to rest with full assurance upon. And observe, how the Lord Jesus puts one of his glorious names, the Amen, the faithful witness, in the very middle of what he saith, by way of stamping, signing, sealing, and delivering this blessed Charter. It becomes like the Patent of heaven. It confirms, and establisheth the Royal Society of his Kings and Priests, whom he hath made in his Kingdom. It is what I call the everlasting Indenture of the Covenant. And faith gives a right of holding, a present fee-simple, in the inheritance by Christ, which is incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away. Oh! the blessedness, when He who laid his right hand upon John, confirms with equal assurance, by his Holy Spirit, the princely grant in every heart of his people, which is to the same effect; saying, Fear not! Precious, and Almighty Jesus! thou hast indeed the key of all authority and power, even the Key of David; to open, and none can shut; to shut, and none can open, Isaiah 22:22. Lord! do thou open thy word to my soul! and do thou open my heart, to thy word. Oh! the blessed assurance! My God, my Saviour, hath the key of death, the key of hell, the key of heaven. At his girdle they all hang and none can open either, but by his authority. How secure are all thy redeemed! Precious Jesus! all power is thine, in heaven and in earth!
One word more on this blessed Chapter! Jesus commanded John to write the things he had seen. And we have reason to bless the Lord, that he both wrote, and by the Lord's authority, hath sent what he saw, to his Church. And what a delightful instruction the Church gathers from the whole? Jesus holds aft his truly ordained ministers, ordained by God the Holy Ghost, in his Almighty hand, as stars; and he is in the midst of his people, as here he appeared in the midst of the golden candlesticks, to bless them with his presence and his grace. From whence we plainly perceive, where the one gains all his ability to preach, and the other the ability to hear. Hence those sweet words to the former: As the Father hath sent me, even so send I you, John 20:21. And to the latter: Lo! I am with you alway, even to the end of the world! Matthew 28:20. Reader! what saith your soul's experience to these things? It is blessed, yea, very blessed, when the written word is accompanied with the engrafted word; and when the child or God, hearing what the Spirit saith to the Churches, can set to his seal, that God is true!