Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest.
Revelation 1:12-13
In preaching through Revelation, I have found it helpful to write down some of my own reflections in more depth. Digging into the riches of the Greek language and syntax of Revelation helps one see more of the depths of this amazing Book. I genuinely have no desire for this except that some might find it helpful.
My favorite commentaries for Revelation so far have been G.K. Beale, Dennis Johnson, James Durham, Scott Duvall, Andreas Kostenberger, Joel Beeke, William Hendriksen, and Richard Bauckham. This commentary is not replacing what they have done. It is taking their comments and building from that explanation to move more toward pastoral application and doctrine.
Verse 12
“And” is a logical connective with what came before. The voice that just spoke is what causes the turning of John. That voice was unmistakably the ascended Lord Jesus Christ. It is a voice that John knew. It is the voice of the Shepherd and all His sheep hear His voice. “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27).
“I turned to see the voice”. The turning is for a purpose. The turning is to behold and witness the Lover of John’s heart. When you hear the Lover of your soul speak, you long to turn and see Him. This is what it looks like to listen faithfully to sermons. It is to turn from our ways and hear whatsoever is in God’s Word. And, why do we hear? Why do we believe? Because it is the Lord Jesus Christ who loves us and gave Himself up for us (Gal. 2:20). He is our heart’s delight and we are the apple of His eye (Zech. 2:8). It is a huge theme in Revelation that hearing comes before seeing. Indeed, in this era of our existence, before the Beatific Vision, we only see by hearing and hearing with faith. We live by faith and not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7). We will never see ourselves and our circumstances rightly unless we hear the Word of God with faith.
“The voice that was speaking to me.” It appears that John doesn’t wait until Jesus is done speaking to turn and face Him. It is an imperfect tense of the verb “was speaking” which is focusing on the fact that it is an action in progress. John is relaying to us a past event as it was occurring to him at that moment. What a fascinating scene that we see John’s eagerness and godly fear to immediately turn to face Jesus while Jesus was still speaking to John! We should not delay turning to face Jesus Christ in faith. We ought to heed His preached Word and cling tightly to it.
“Speaking to me” is a subtle but important truth of the personal nature of Jesus speaking to John. Jesus is not speaking generally or letting His voice sound out randomly, hoping that someone might hear. He speaks directly to us. He speaks to me. How often we have thought in hearing a sermon, “I hope so-and-so hears this.” We need to hear what Jesus says to us—to me. This goes for conviction and for comfort. Those who struggle with an over-sensitive conscience and spiritual trials often don’t believe that Jesus is speaking grace and comfort to them. They often think those promises and comforting truths are for “others”. No! Those promises are for you if you are in union with Him.
“And on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, (v13) and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man”. We know elsewhere that the golden lampstands refer to the churches. Seven represents the complete, universal church across all the ages. While speaking to these specific churches in Asia Minor, Jesus is also speaking to every church, everywhere, at all times. Yet, this is a highly important truth: Did you notice that Jesus was not speaking to the churches as One who was far away? Where is Jesus when He is speaking to John and to the churches? He is “in the midst” of them. The ascended Lord Jesus Christ is “in the midst” of His churches in a unique and special way. He is omnipresent in His deity, in a single location in His humanity, and yet this one inseparable Person—neither nature being altered nor confused but perfectly united in one indivisible Person—is said to be truly in the midst of His churches by the Holy Spirit. He, our One Savior, in whom is all we need for salvation, is not far off from us. He is with us. He is “in the midst” of us. What confidence this ought to give ministers of the gospel to continue to faithfully proclaim all the Word of God! John knew the cost of being a faithful minister. He is exiled on Patmos for that very reason (1:9). Wouldn’t it be tempting to compromise with the world so that life would be more comfortable? Wouldn’t it be tempting to relax the message of the Bible so that the religious elites might approve of you more? But, how can a faithful minister seek the approval of man when the Lord Jesus Christ is in the midst of His Church (Gal. 1:9-10)? Let us lovingly and patiently be faithful—regardless of what it might cost us. A pastor also ought to be in the midst of the church he shepherds. He is not to be in an academic elite Ivory Tower or a Good Ol’ Boys Club where pastors only hang out with other pastors. He is to be a sheepdog who goes exactly where the Master Shepherd tells him to go. The pastor is to obey the orders of His Master in all things. To bind up the broken hearted. To convict the arrogant. To defend against false teaching. To lift the burdens off of the weary soul. The pastor can only do these if he is in the midst of the people. He is a man of the people. He dedicates much time to preparing sermons but he does so with his people on his heart. He labors in prayer for them every day. He visits them. He isn’t a social programmer or country club gatherer. He is a sheepdog who is gathering the sheep to the Shepherd.
Verse 13
“Clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around His chest.” This one like a Son of Man (Dan. 7:13-14) is like us in every way yet without sin (Heb. 4:15) and is simultaneously God of God, Light of Light (Phil. 2:5-11). He is the GodMan. In Him is absolutely everything. Having Him is having all things. How dare we think that He needs any enhancement, addition, or help to save us by grace alone through faith alone! He is utterly, infinitely, eternally sufficient regardless of any sin we ever have before or after conversion. Indeed, this Son of Man is “clothed” as a True Priest-King. In v16 we see that He is also the Prophet (Dt. 18). These three offices proclaim to us that this Jesus is a “one-stop shop” for those in need of anything for salvation. He is the Source. He is the One who has purchased it. He is the power. He is the motivation. He is the goal. He is the Priest who always represents us to God and God to us. There is no God in Heaven that is different than the Lord Jesus Christ because He is the God of Heaven in our flesh. As surely as He, true Man, is in Heaven, we can be utterly assured that He is enough for us. He knows us. He cares for us. As the Sovereign King who rules all things, He never forgets us. Regardless of any pressures from earthly religions or earthly rulers, no one compares with Jesus. We ought never entertain the idea of abandoning Jesus to any earthly religion or ruler because in Jesus we have all that we need.