Revelation 1:12-16
12 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, 15 his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.
Revelation can be a weird place for Christians. Revelation isn’t weird, we’re weird. We’ve heard too many people spouting off crazy ideas for what the end times will be like. Others try to read faithfully, but close the book with no idea what they read. The way to read Revelation is by being soaked in the Old Testament. The pictures John saw all had references in the writings of people like Daniel, Ezekiel, Zechariah, and Moses among others. The verses above show us a picture of Jesus who sees everything, acts as our High Priest, and speaks as God because, well, He’s definitely God.
What do we get from those words? If you go back up a bit in Revelation, you’ll see John was writing to real churches. In his vision, he saw each church as a lampstand. Lampstands are supposed to be on fire, but these churches were also under fire. They were being killed and harassed and exiled, like poor John. How were they to know God cared enough to do something about it? Jesus walked among the lampstands like the Old Testament priests who kept the lamps in the Old Testament Temple. Scholar GK Beale said, “Christ tends to the … lampstands by commending, correcting, exhorting, an12d warning in order to secure the churches’ fitness for service as lightbearers in a dark world.” How does Revelation work for you? Jesus sees you, loves you, has a plan for you, and has all the power He needs to make you bright in a dark, dark world.
Prayer Prompt: Lord, please lift our eyes to You as You encourage us, correct us, command us, and warn us so we can be Your Light to a world that needs You.