John Receives His First Vision, Revelation 1:12-20

To see Revelation 1:12-20 without my comments click HERE.

John prepared himself to see the vision that the Lord was about to unfold before him. In this vision the reader gets the interpretation directly from the Messiah at the end of the chapter to the meaning of the vision.

This vision came to John in the form of seven golden candlesticks. Within these candlesticks was the Messiah himself dressed in a judges robe who's feet and appearance, were like fine brass that was refined in a crucible and being pure in all appearance. In his right hand were seven stars. From out of his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword. Johns natural reaction was to fall at the feet of the Messiah in fear. The Messiah told John to fear not. He held the position of being the highest of the high (Son of God) and lowest of the low (Son of Man). He held the keys to the grave and death by humbling himself to the cross and by being raised from the grave by the Father in order to become the first to be born again. If this vision so effected John the Apostle in such a manner to fall at his feet in fear, then what will be the effect on the ungodly when he manifests himself to the world when he returns from heaven?

The Messiah then continued to explain this vision:

In his right hand were seven stars. The stars are the seven angles were from the seven churches that he was writing to. The word “angel” means messenger; Strong's Concordance #32. In this particular pretext it referring to the Israelite men that came to visit John from the seven churches when John was exiled on the island of Patmos; Gen 26:4.

Out of the Lords mouth came a two edged sword. The two-edged sword in the Bible is a symbol for the word of God; Hebrews 4:12 and Ephesians6:17. 

The 30 foot illuminated cross that stands in the Palm Springs Desert was erected by a local Episcopal Church. It stands as a daily reminder that we are now in God's Kingdom. We do not receive the light of the Gospel only to hide the Gospel light under a bushel; Matt 5:15-16. The Bible also tells us that: "for everyone that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought of  God." John 3:20-21

The Messiah then went on to explain that the seven candlesticks that were the seven churches. When people have the Word of God in their hearts they become a light unto a world of utter darkness, which gives forth light to others. Mat 5:15, Mark4:21, and Luke 11:33.

It is my prayer for all Christian Israel to become beacons of light for the Gospel unto a dark world!