Explanation: Revelation 1, contains a description of Jesus Christ which symbolically encapsulates the subsequent revelations to the seven churches. Each revelation to each church is prefaced by citing an aspect of the Lord's appearance which is here revealed to John. Aspects of Jesus' appearance here in the first chapter are also cited in various places throughout the book.
     John [believed by many commentators to be John the apostle] introduces a revelation from God which he gave to Jesus Christ, which Christ gave to an angel, and which the angel subsequently gave to John. Its purpose was to reveal things which must shortly [swiftly] come to pass. In the book of Revelation, John bore witness to all that he saw of the testimony of Jesus Christ. Blessed is the one who reads ["knows again"] the words of this prophecy and those who hear and keep these things, for the time is at hand (1-3).
     John writes to the seven churches in Asia and offers them grace and peace from he who is, was, and is to come, and from the seven spirits which are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the first-begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Jesus loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood. He made us kings and priests unto God his Father. To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. He will come with the clouds. Every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all the tribes of earth shall wail because of him (4-7).
     Jesus himself speaks and says, "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty." (8).
     John was imprisoned on the island of Patmos. He was in the Spirit on the Lord's day (Sunday), and he heard a great voice like a trumpet, 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. " (9-11).
     When John turned to see who spoke to him, he saw 7 golden candlesticks, and in their midst, one like the Son of Man, clothed with an ankle-length robe and a golden sash around his chest. His hair was as white as wool or snow, and his eyes were like a flame. His feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace. His voice was like the sound of many waters. He had seven stars in his right hand. A sharp twoedged sword went out of his mouth. His face was like the sun shining in its full strength (12-16).
     John fell at his feet as dead. But he laid his right hand on John, and told him not to fear, because he was the first and the last, the one who lives and was dead, who is alive forevermore, who has the keys of hell and death. He told John to write the things which he saw, the things which are, and the things which shall be afterward. He told John that the seven stars were the angels of the seven churches, and the seven candlesticks were the seven churches (17-20).
     Clues are given in this chapter which are vital to interpreting the book. In verse 1, we are told that the revelation concerns things which "must shortly come to pass." Verse 3 says that "the time is at hand." Thus, things will happen soon. Verse 4 and 8 reveal that Jesus himself embodies certain time qualities: he is, he was, and he is to come. Verse 19 speaks about things which are and things which will be hereafter. Putting these things together, we learn at the outset of the book that some things are happening now, others will happen later. Jesus, who was, is, and is to come is present at all of these time junctures (past, present, and future) to interact with them and to control them, since he is, as verse 8 says, "Almighty," not to mention his other titles of authority, power, and preeminence.
     [Sermons: Eric Alexander. Various. ]
     [Illustration: Today's painting shows John on Patmos at the beginning of his revelation as detailed in today's chapter. ]

     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 for evermore [into the eons of the eons], 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 [after these things]; 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.

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