In completing Chapter 1, we find John on the Island of Patmos, where he was sent because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. Patmos was like a detention Island were people were sent for crimes. John's crime was the refusal to stop teaching about Jesus. How could he have stopped? Like I said in an earlier blogg, he saw and heard and felt so much of the power of God, that it was impossible for him not to want to share what he knew to be true. John considered himself a fellow partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance which are in Jesus. Notice how John describes how he was partaking. For the sake of the kingdom, John was persevering in his tribulations. He was willing to go to prison for his testimony of Jesus. Jesus used this for good by having John's full attention and declaring to him the most important writtings of scripture for the believers, pertaining to the end times. John is told to write down the vision and make sure that each of the seven churches in Asia, an area which is today Turkey, get the vision along with a specific message to each church. John heard the voice of the one who was giving him the instructions and when John turned to see who was talking to him, he saw Seven Golden Lampstands; and in the middle of the lampstands was one like the son of man, with a robe down to His feet, and across His chest was a golden girddle. Also, His eyes were like a flame of fire and His feet were like glowing bronze in a furnance. The prophet Daniel was giving a vision of the end times by the same One, in Daniel chapter 10, verses 5 and 6. The difference is, Daniel saw a vision of the end times, where he saw the future glorified body of the Living God, the Lord Jesus, whereas John, in the present, was seeing the gloified Lord Jesus. John said that His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow. This is how Daniel, in Chapter 7, verse 9, describe the One that he refered to as The Ancient of Days who took His seat on the Throne. This is the One that the anti-christ, that Daniel talks about, will make his pround boast against. John said that His voice was like the sound of many waters. When Jesus was here, before the cross, He had once spoken to a Samaritan woman, who was worshiping as Jacob's well. He told her, in John Chapter 4, verses13 and 14,
"Evereyone who drinks of this water, refering to the well, will thirst again; but
whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him, shall never thrist; but the water
that I shall give him shall become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life."
Jesus voice probably sounded like many waters, because His words are like water that gives life. The Word of God is Living and breathing and is food for the spirit. John continues to say that he saw in His Right hand seven stars; and out of His mouth came a shape two edged-sword; and His face was like the son shinning in all it's strength. As to the two-edged sword that came out of His mouth, in Hebrews Chapter 4, verse 12, it talks about God's word again. It says,
"For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged, and piercing
as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the
thoughts and intentions of the heart."
After seeing all this, John fell at Jesus feet as dead, he was told not to be afraid. Jesus put His right hand on John told him this,
" Do not be afraid; I am the firsrt and last, and the Living One; and I was dead,
and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys to Death and Hades. Write
therefore the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things
which shall take place after these things. As for the mistery 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 churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches."
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