Hello, I’m Daniel Westfall on the channel “Pray With Me”.
John opens the Book of Revelation by reporting visions God gave him of the present and future. He says, “On the Lord’s Day, I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet” (Rev 1:10).
I’m not sure what it means to be “in the Spirit”, but the experience allowed John to see visions and hear other-world communications.
When John turned to see the trumpet-voice that addressed him, he saw someone like a son of man, decked out in royal garments, with snow white hair and blazing eyes, with feet like fiery bronze, with a voice like rushing waters and a face like the shining sun (Rev 1:13-15).
This person is like the one Daniel saw in his vision 500 years earlier (Daniel 10:4-13). But the man in John’s vision had an new, disturbing characteristic: a double edged sword coming out of his mouth.
Weird, eh? A sword in the mouth? Commentators suggest this represents the word of God, similar to Hebrews 4 which says, “The word of God is living and active, sharper than a double-edged sword” (Heb 4:12).
The man in Daniel’s vision was fighting the prince of Persia, but we don’t know what weapons he was using. The man in John’s vision doesn’t tell war stories about the Prince of Persia or other spiritual opponents. Perhaps his battle will be conducted with words, using the sword in his mouth.
The man with the sword said to John, “Don’t be afraid. I’m the first and the last. I was dead. Now I’m alive forever. I have the keys to death and the underworld” (Rev 1:17-18). Clearly, this man is Jesus. Can’t be anyone else!
In John’s vision, Jesus was surrounded by seven lampstands, representing the seven churches in Asia. He holds seven stars which represent seven angels (or messengers), one for each church.
A quick summary: Jesus appeared to John, standing among the churches, accompanied by angel messengers. The words in Jesus’ mouth were a sword. That doesn’t sound like a friendly message for the churches. But we’ll look at that next time.
Let’s pray.
O Jesus, you who stood among the churches of Asia, stand among our churches today. Send your messages to us, that we may hear your words, even if they are a sword that threatens our comfort and a fire that burns our complacency.
Help us to see you as John saw you: a royal king, a commanding presence, a fire in our community, a shining sun in our darkness. With your sword, cut away the evil and distractions in our lives. Wound us, purify us, heal us.
Amen.
I’m Daniel, on the channel “Pray with Me”.
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