Jesus Christ in the Revelation to John

The  Revelation of John at the end of the New Testament gives us 'the last word on Christ, and the word is that Christ is the centre and at the centre.' (Petersen p28) This vision of Christ in the first chapter is a glorious one. He is dressed as a priest; is a bridge between us and God, he brings together the human and divine. Christ is mediator.

    His head, ‘white as snow’, shows him to be pure and holy as well as forgiven and forgiving. He is purifying. The eyes like ‘flame of fire’ penetrate and purify. Fire is often associated with the holy- as in the ‘burning bush’and ‘pillar of fire’- and with purification, as when Isaiah was purified by the burning coal to his lips or as when metal is purified. Christ’s gaze penetrates and changes us.

In contrast to the flawed feet of the ‘great image’ in Nebuchadnezzar's dream as described by Daniel, Christ’s feet are of burnished bronze. Bronze is a combination of iron and copper. Iron is strong but it rusts, copper does not rust and is flexible, so the combination of these metals preserves the best quality of both, the strength of the iron with the endurance of copper. Christ rules a kingdom which is securely founded and magnificent, unlike the succession of kingdoms on earth which rise and collapse.

In his right hand Christ holds seven stars, which would be the seven known planets-the un-fixed stars. It was thought that the stars ruled men’s lives, so astrologers who studied and interpreted their movement were valued and had high status. Christ holds them in his right hand as though ready for action, as one would a sword or knife. He is ready for action. In fact his action is to control the cosmos. The planets do not control us, Christ rules. The stars are also angels or messengers of God (Rev 1.20). They are not as the pagans thought, gods and goddesses.

Christ’s word is like a two-edged sword. In Hebrews 4v12 we are told that God’s word is living and active and sharper than a two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart’. Here the sword is not for military action. Christ’s word is power and he overcomes evil by the power of his words. 

Later (ch. 5) Christ is described as a conquering Lion and a slaughtered Lamb, by whose death/blood a multitude of people (not just Jews) are ransomed to form his kingdom on earth and by the end (ch. 19) evil is conquered and the redeemed are with their Lord in glory.

The vision of Christ is glorious. John is overwhelmed with fear and awe at first and as the vision proceeds he sees all heaven and a huge multitude praising and glorifying Christ the redeemer King.

Yet this glorious Christ is seen by John not as remote and above it all. He is standing among the seven churches of John’s pastorate, with all their messy struggling humanity. The seven lampstands around Jesus in chapter 1 represent those churches.

Most of those who knew the apostles, the first generation of Christians had gone, including their ageing Pastor, John. The younger third generation were wondering whether it was worth it, to be a persecuted minority for what purpose? They had been told Jesus would come again but where was he? In the meantime some had fallen away or fallen into sin and they were a depressed bunch of people, lonely and disheartened.

John himself is also a lonely, depressed Pastor, worrying about his people but cut off from them and at the mercy of the cruel power of Rome. Yet by virtue of this vision John is empowered, and while still cut off from his little flocks is now envisioned by the Spirit that has given sight and direction to Christians ever since. This is a vision which tells of realities, not a dream about happy endings. God’s people suffer, are persecuted and killed but beyond the veil of mortality Christ is present, victorious and reigning- and knows each one of us so that we too have a share in that glory.

When John’s pastoral letter is read in the seven churches they will know that Christ does love them and is there as their Spiritual Director. For each he has a commendation, a warning and a reward if they will ‘pull their socks up’. The vision is a glorious one swirling in eternity not our linear time; the battle has been won, it is still raging and will be won. The letter however,  is primarily a pastoral letter. The glorified Christ is judging not the Roman Emperor, but the seven churches of Asia themselves. Each of the churches receives its own individual accounting, which recognizes how each has responded to its precarious situation.

Those who remain loyal and obedient to Jesus will face opposition and persecution as our Lord did, but here we see that He is always present with His people not with an instant rescue plan but with empowerment in His Spirit to endure and with assurance that their suffering will end and they will share His glory.

For us too there is encouragement, warning and a promised reward. When we see how the Spirit has swept through China, Africa and South America and how people have responded to the Gospel in the face of persecution we give glory to God. There are more Christians, and more Christian martyrs in the last century, than ever before and the story of the persecuted church in China mirrors that recorded in the book of Acts. We in the West stand accused of having forgotten simple words like ‘sin’ and ‘repentance’ mean. We have too often avoided opposition and compromised the Truth.

The message is that if we are following our Lord obediently in His love, we will face opposition and persecution but have assurance that He is right in there with us and we will share in His victory and enjoy Him for ever.

Bibliography

John Drane INTRODUCTION TO THE NEW TESTAMENT
Eugene Petersen REVERSED THUNDER,
Virginia Stem Owens intro to Revelation of John in SPIRITUAL FORMATION BIBLE
Brother Yun THE HEAVENLY MAN