Year 2, Week 51, Day 3 Bible Reading Observations

Year 2, Week 51, Day 3

I have a brief observation for today’s reading of 3 John; Revelation 1-2.

Today’s reading covers the Book of 3 John. The Apostle John issues this short letter to Gaius commending his behavior: “The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth…For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in the truth” (3 John 1-3). But the Book of 3 John primarily concerns the behavior of Diotrephes: “I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority. So if I come, I will bring up what he is doing, talking wicked nonsense against us. And not content with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers, and also stops those who want to and puts them out of the church” (3 John 9-10). Today’s reading also covers the first two chapters of Revelation. The Book of Revelation was also written by the Apostle John to seven churches: “I, John…was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet saying, “Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea” (Revelation 1:9-11). And while the Book is a letter to seven churches, it is also an unveiling from Jesus Christ about Jesus Christ as it pertains to matters concerning the end of time: “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place” (Revelation 1:1). The largest segment of the Book of Revelation is in the form of prophecy that is visually descriptive and mean to symbolize what the Lord is doing and will do: "Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near” (Revelation 1:3). As the Lord’s plans and actions unfold, His people must persevere.

One of the things that struck me from today’s reading was the vision of Jesus Christ, the Risen Lord: “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” (Revelation 1:12-13a). The Book of Revelation pertains to Jesus Christ and the vision of the Risen Lord from the outset of the Book provides vital details that must not be missed. Upon hearing a voice, John first notices in his vision: “seven golden lampstands,” which represent the seven churches to whom the Book is written. More importantly, is the One who is in the midst of the seven churches. John’s vision gloriously describes Jesus: “clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength” (Revelation 1:12b-16). The long robe and golden sash suggest priestly attire. The One revealed a King is also the One who has done a priestly, which is the provision that made possible for there to be a people be comprise the kingdom. John’s vision also utilizes the language of Daniel (see Daniel 7:9;10:6) as the Son of Man’s Divine wisdom and knowledge, as well as power and authority are captured through the visual imagery describing His hair, eyes, and feet. Using language similar to Ezekiel 1:24, the Son of Man’s voice is the voice of God.

John’s response to what he is seeing and hearing reflects the intensity of the experience: “When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead” (Revelation 1:17a). Even though the glory of God in the Son of Man was more than John could take, the Lord Himself provides strength and comfort: “But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades” (Revelation 1:17b-18). The Lord reassures John that he need not fear and gives the reason. Jesus is the living One; even though He died, yet now lives. In fact, the Lord conquered death and now reigns over death as well as the realm of death, including the demonic powers that operate within such a realm. Jesus reassures John and John passes on to his readings that those who belong to Jesus don’t need to fear, for Death and Hades and all demonic powers are under Jesus’ authority. Death will not defeat them, for Jesus as the living one has defeated death.

The One John describes has a Word for each of the seven churches that He dwells in the midst of. Revelation 2-3, in writing to each church, a pattern emerges in which the Son of Man speaks what is commendable in each church (as in five of the seven churches), but also what must be corrected (as in also five of the seven churches). In all seven churches, something from this vision of the Son of Man is deployed: “The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands” (Revelation 2:1); “The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life” (Revelation 2:8); “The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword” (Revelation 2:12); “‘The words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze” (Revelation 2:18); “The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars” (Revelation 3:1); “The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens” (Revelation 3:7); and “The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation” (Revelation 3:14). As each church is addressed the One who is addressing them is explicitly stated so that the church knows not only what is expected but also what the Lord has done to supply them the grace.

What struck you in today’s reading? What questions were prompted from today’s reading?

Pastor Joe