Revelation Chapter One, The Son & Stars

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.

In the meantime, it can be said of these stars that Christ has them in His hand, and we may rest assured they are not physical, gaseous celestial bodies from outer space. But for now, I digress. Secondly in this verse it says that our Lord has a sharp, two-edged sword coming out of His mouth. Like the seven stars (another mention of seven), this is not meant to be taken literally. There is not a steel blade protruding from Jesus’ mouth like the parody of a tongue. Dr. David L. Cooper says of understanding Scripture: “When the plain sense of Scripture makes common sense, seek no other sense; therefore, take every word at its primary, ordinary, usual, literal meaning unless the facts of the immediate context, studied in the light of related passages and axiomatic and fundamental truths, indicate clearly otherwise.” The question for this passage then becomes: does this verse literally mean what it states, or does context and related passages indicate a metaphorical or symbolic understanding?

Paul, when speaking to the Roman church about obedience to civil authority, tells them, “For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil,” Romans 13:4. Christ is the King of kings and Lord of lords. His rule is eternal and absolute. He will dispense justice with perfect wisdom, temperance, and equity. Paul informs us that all civil authority and the power they wield is derived from God, Romans 13:1. Therefore Christ, who is the ultimate Potentate, would possess all authority to execute judgment upon the sinful and disobedient world that is hopelessly endeavoring to emancipate itself from its own Creator. Christ’s Lordship in His children’s lives begins with the rebirth. He is the ultimate authority of the person whose life He has entered, fulfilling what He claimed when He stated “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword,” Matthew 10:34.

Division, (Luke 12:51) or the sword is the natural result of His Lordship at work in us. Why? “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart,” Hebrews 4:12. Christ is the living Word, and the Bible His revealed will. The sword of the word causes division; it is a weapon given to the Christian for his warfare on this earth, Ephesians 6:17, see also 2 Corinthians 2:12-16. But the sword in Revelation proceeding from the mouth of the glorified Christ, while still the word of God, symbolizes judgment. It will mete out a proper and judicial end for the godless who do not obey the truth. 

In Isaiah we read, “And He has made My mouth like a sharp sword,” Isaiah 49:2. Why? To bring Jacob back to Him, so that Israel is gathered to Him, Isaiah 49:5. Furthermore the prophet shares this amazing truth with us, “Indeed He says, ‘It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, that You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth,” Isaiah 49:6. Christ is the world’s only Savior. He died for us so we may have life in Him. Moreover, He will come and fight for Israel and deliver them from the Time of Jacob’s Trouble, and with them bring in the Gentile nations that remain. His sword is a symbol of governmental and military authority and power. He will deliver; He will reign; He will judge nations and individuals and angels.

The countenance of the Lord shone like the sun in its strength. Have you ever tried staring into the sun? The medical consensus is that it is highly unsafe, unless you do not value your eyesight. The idea of Jesus being white as light hearkens back to Matthew 17:2. “And He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.” On the mount Peter, James and John witnessed Christ’s deity showing through His humanity, however briefly. The Father set forth His own endorsement of the Son, finishing His declaration with the simple words, “Hear Him!” Matthew 17:5. Jesus went to great pains to reveal His true nature to the honest seeker, so they would realize and accept that the Man Christ Jesus was Yahweh, the God of Israel. Malachi 4:1-3 mentions the Sun of Righteousness, a God whose radiance warms and liberates the saints, while reducing the wicked to ash, which the saints will perhaps even unknowingly trample in their euphoria at being set free.

Herein John concludes his description of the glorified Christ. Jesus is:

1. In the midst of the seven lampstands.

2. Clothed in a garment to His feet and girt with a golden band.

3. With His head and hair white as snow or wool.

4. His eyes are like flames of fire.

5. His feet like metal freshly taken from the refiner’s furnace.

6. His voice like many waters.

7. Holding seven stars in His right hand (the right hand symbolizing strength).

8. A sharp, two-edged sword protrudes from His mouth.

9. And His countenance like the radiant sun.

Reading this description alone, it is a farcical thing to believe anyone will honestly accept that the image portrayed here isn’t deity. John’s entire purpose throughout his gospel and epistles was to direct the reader to Christ so they may believe He is who He says that He is and receive eternal life as a free gift of God’s grace. Now he contrasts his risen and glorified Lord to the depictions of the Lord God from the Old Testament, to let the reader draw his own conclusions. I pray the Lord that He gives you grace to see clearly that our Savior is the only way to God, a generous salvation given freely and with immense love to have sin forgiven, and to escape the wrath to come.