Revelation Chapter 1: A Vision of the Lord

Revelation 1:1–2

This is the revelation which God gave to Yeshua the Messiah, so that he could show his servants what must happen very soon. He communicated it by sending his angel to his servant Yochanan, who bore witness to the Word of God and to the testimony of Yeshua the Messiah, as much as he saw.

The first two verses answer the basic questions that a journalist would ask if they were investigating something: who, what, where, when, why, and how. It is simply telling us that God, who, sent through His angel, how, to John, where, during his exile, when, the revelation, what, to show His servants what must soon take place, why.

We see that God the Father revealed this to Yeshua Messiah His Son, who in turn revealed it to John. We also see that this book was written down for the servants of Yeshua Messiah and not for everyone. Many use this book to try to scare those who have not accepted Yeshua Messiah, but that is not its purpose. Its purpose is to prepare the believer for what is to come.

Revelation 1:3

Blessed are the reader and hearers of the words of this prophecy, provided they obey the things written in it! For the time is near!

Those who read and heed what is written will be blessed. The Greek word for “heed” is terountes, meaning “while holding fast,” and the word for “blessed” is makarios, describing someone secure who need not worry about anything.

If we hold fast to the grace of Yeshua Messiah, we do not have to fear what is contained in this book. This is the first of seven beatitudes in Revelation. In the early church, most believers did not own personal copies of Scripture, so when they gathered, someone would read the letter aloud for everyone. Those who read it, and those who hold fast to the comfort it contains, are blessed. Many Christians avoid this book because they find it frightening, but for those who are in Messiah it is meant to comfort us as we wait for its completion.

Revelation 1:4–6

From: Yochanan To: The seven Messianic communities in the province of Asia: Grace and shalom to you from the One who is, who was and who is coming; from the sevenfold Spirit before his throne; and from Yeshua the Messiah, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead and the ruler of the earth's kings. To him, the one who loves us, who has freed us from our sins at the cost of his blood, who has caused us to be a kingdom, that is, cohanim for God, his Father - to him be the glory and the rulership forever and ever. Amen.

This is a personal greeting from John to the seven churches in Asia, located in what is now Turkey. The number seven speaks of holiness and completeness, and the fact that these churches are outside the land of Israel speaks of exile. The passage reminds the churches that the letter to come is from God, and it reminds them of what Yeshua has already done for them—freeing them from sin and making them a kingdom of priests—as well as the fact that He is and remains the ruler of all the earth’s kings.

Revelation 1:7

Look! He is coming with the clouds! Every eye will see him, including those who pierced him; and all the tribes of the Land will mourn him. Yes! Amen!

The phrase “coming with the clouds” comes from Daniel 7:13–14, where Messiah presents Himself to God the Father and is given honor, glory, and power. Here, John identifies that Messiah is now returning to the earth, and that everyone will see Him coming.

The phrase “those who pierced him” points to the Jewish people recognizing Him as Messiah at His return. Those who have loved the things of this world will mourn as they see it come to an end, while believers rejoice. Each of us must decide whether we love Yeshua or this world, because we cannot love both.

Revelation 1:8

“I am the ‘A’ and the ‘Z,’” says ADONAI, God of heaven’s armies, the One who is, who was and who is coming.

Here God reminds us that He has always been in control. He is the beginning and the end, and everything in between. It can be easy to forget that our God is a jealous God who must be first in our lives.

We also have a great promise in this verse: God says that He “is to come.” We can take comfort that God is coming back to earth for us, and our struggles here will end.

Revelation 1:9

I, Yochanan, am a brother of yours and a fellow-sharer in the suffering, kingship and perseverance that come from being united with Yeshua. I had been exiled to the island called Patmos for having proclaimed the message of God and borne witness to Yeshua.

John introduces himself, not puffed up with pride, but as a brother in the faith. At this time there was widespread persecution of Christians, and John’s introduction reminds his readers that they are not alone in their suffering. We too can take comfort from this as we witness the persecution of Christians around the world today.

Revelation 1:10–11

I came to be, in the Spirit, on the Day of the Lord; and I heard behind me a loud voice, like a trumpet, saying, “Write down what you see on a scroll, and send it to the seven Messianic communities - Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea!”

This revelation was given to John on the first day of the week, the day Yeshua was resurrected, which became a day for worship and gathering. But the early church did not worship only one or two days a week—we are called to worship God every day and to share our lives with fellow believers as often as we can.

John says he was “in the Spirit,” meaning he was praying and listening for what God would say, and God used a vision to speak to him and give him this entire book to deliver to the seven churches. Because Scripture consistently uses the number seven as a symbol of completeness, we can see that this prophecy was given to the entire church for all time, not just to these seven congregations.

Revelation 1:12–13

I turned around to see who was speaking to me; and when I had turned, I saw seven gold menorahs; and among the menorahs was someone like a Son of Man, wearing a robe down to his feet and a gold band around his chest.

John begins to describe what he has seen. The seven golden lampstands represent the churches, and Yeshua is standing among them. The phrase “like a son of man” is drawn from the book of Daniel and the dream he described in Daniel 7.

The golden sash John describes symbolizes royalty, and the full-length robe is what the high priests wore in the Old Testament, reminding us that only the high priest could make atonement for the sins of the people.

Revelation 1:14–16

His head and hair were as white as snow-white wool, his eyes like a fiery flame, his feet like burnished brass refined in a furnace, and his voice like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, out of his mouth went a sharp double-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.

John describes Yeshua’s head and hair as white, symbolizing purity. His eyes are like blazing fire, reminding us that fire is used to symbolize refining—removing impurities. Yeshua sees the real us, not merely what others may see.

In the end, what matters is whether Yeshua recognizes us as one of His sheep, refined by Him. These verses give us a picture of the power of Yeshua Messiah and a reminder of the very glory of God.

Revelation 1:17–18

When I saw him, I fell down at his feet like a dead man. He placed his right hand upon me and said, “Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last, the Living One. I was dead, but look! - I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys to Death and Sh'ol.”

John’s reaction to seeing Yeshua is simple: he fell at His feet in worship, unable to speak. Yeshua then eased his fear, reminding John of His resurrection. If we are His disciples, we do not have to be afraid, because He holds the keys to death and hell.

This revelation is not given to scare us but to prepare us for the coming of our Lord and Savior. We can rejoice that Yeshua has overcome death for us.

Revelation 1:19–20

So write down what you see, both what is now, and what will happen afterwards. Here is the secret meaning of the seven stars you saw in my right hand, and of the seven gold menorahs: the seven stars are the angels of the seven Messianic communities, and the seven menorahs are the seven Messianic communities.

Yeshua tells John to write this book, explaining that some of what he saw was already happening in the early church while other things were yet to come. Some readers doubt that anything described later in the book is still future, but here Yeshua tells John plainly that some of it will take place later.

He then explains the meaning of the seven stars and seven lampstands—remembering again that seven stands for completeness, so Yeshua is referring to the whole church, not merely the seven congregations named in the chapters ahead.