Have you ever had the joy of experiencing a “glaucoma test”-you know that burst of air that makes you thrash around no matter how many times your experience its joys? As we consider the vision of Revelation 1, we cannot even begin to imagine the vocal intensity for the exiled John in seeing Jesus Christ in all of His glory. This is no longer a lean-on-his-chest kind of Savior (John 13:23) standing before the Apostle. If we are not careful, we relegate Jesus Christ to a 33.5 year old man, when He IS NOW much more than that! He is revealed in Revelation 1 as the same Person but at a whole new visual level than His incarnation! The question before us is how do we properly absorb this “fresh” sight of Jesus Christ?
Christ appears in two visible ways:
- The Son is shining.
Why are Christians, families, and local churches so negative and caustic? They have lost sight of the “Light of the World.” John 9:5 brightens our view, “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” Are you willing to let a bright Christ into your present, dim world?
Shining Candlesticks (12)
Wiersbe asserts, “God’s people are the light of the world; the church does not create the light, but merely holds it and lets it shine. We do not see one gigantic lamp; rather, we have seven separate lampstands.” As we draw closer to the return of Christ, we must not deemphasize but reemphasize the significance of the “LOCAL” church! Christ is now actively involved in building all over the planet what is His dominant priority-the local church.
Shining Garments (13)
His garments are those of the Priest (“garment down to the foot”)-King (“about the paps with a golden girdle”). Today Jesus Christ is not “sporting” a Middle-Eastern garment and sandals as portrayed in your children’s illustrated Bible. While this is the same Jesus, He is not having his garments parted by soldiers casting lots; He comes clothed with heaven’s glory!
Shining Hair (14a)
Do you remember the first gray or white hair you discovered? In relation to Christ, His white hair speaks of His eternality. “I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire” (Daniel 7:9). While this is the same Jesus, He is not having his hair plucked from his middle-aged face; His hair has the “aged sheen” of eternity past!
Shining Eyes (14b)
When we get a clear look at Christ; we see that He SEES US! His eyes speak of Him seeing and knowing all in the midst of the churches. “Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do” (Hebrews 4:13). Someday each of us will see Jesus and He will see us. God wants us to be prepared for that “spotlight” moment!
How do these “shining” descriptions challenge/expand who Jesus IS in your “mind’s eye”?
Here is the video presentation of this study: Looking for the Lamb 1:12-20
The next post will deal with the second NOW picture of Jesus Christ found in this chapter.
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