Revelation 1:17 And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last.”
Verses 13 through 16 describe the glorified Christ using language taken straight from Old Testament Scripture. John finds himself standing before El Shaddai, or Yahweh, King of Israel. His reaction? He fell at Christ’s feet as though dead.
Revelation 1:16 He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.
Verses 16 and 20 are closely related; verse 20 provides something of an exposition of itself for the nature of the seven stars, as well as the seven lampstands that surrounded the glorified Christ when John beheld Him. God willing, we will get to that in due time, so forgive me for skipping this expositional snippet for right now. When we reach verse 20, we will backtrack and incorporate this verse.
Revelation 1:13 and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. [14] His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; [15] His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters;
Jesus once told Peter, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you?” John 21:22. And now, here He is. John receives his first glimpse of the glorified Christ, standing in the midst of the lampstands, which both represent the seven Asiatic churches, or the spiritual state of the church throughout this dispensation, as well as God the Holy Spirit dwelling amongst the saints in an indwelling unique to the church age.
Revelation 1:11 saying, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,” and, “What you see, write to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.”
Verse 11 repeats what Christ spoke in verse 8, further confirming that it is the Lord Jesus Christ and not God the Father speaking with John. How do we know this? In verse 1 John records that this is the Revelation of Jesus Christ, which the Father gave to Him to show John. In verse 12, John turns to see who spoke to him, and beholds the glorified Christ, fulfilling the Father’s will by revealing these things.
