Mystery
Revelation 1-3: The First Facet

Week 2, Sunday: The Commission
John was impressed with the importance of the commission Jesus appointed for him, and he wanted to make sure we understood it as well. This chapter combines as many descriptions, reports, images, sights, and sounds relative to God and His glory as you’ll find almost anywhere else in Scripture. We need to make sure we are clear about what Jesus intends.

Read Revelation 1

Meditate on Revelation 1.20
1.      Why are the stars and lampstands a “mystery”? What is a mystery, and should our lives contain mystery?

2.      Just because something is mystery, does that mean we can’t understand anything about it (cf. Is. 55.8-10; Eccl. 3.11)? What would you suggest as a rule of thumb for living with mystery?

3.      Let’s note again that the “stars” are in Jesus’ right hand, and He stands in the midst of the lampstands. Given what these represent, how would you describe what Jesus wants us to understand about the relation of each of these – “stars” and “lampstands” – to His living presence in glory?

4.      To what extent, and in what specific ways, does your church teach about the glory of the Lord and the commission we have from Him?

5.      This initial vision will not continue, but it “sets John up” for even more powerful visions to come. Should Christians claim these visions for themselves? Should our thinking and lives be shaped by visions – or, at least, a vision – like this? Why or why not?

My Reflection
Jesus dwells in the midst of His lampstands – you and me and all John’s brothers and companions. He intends not merely to reflect His glory in us, but to refract His glory through us. What’s the difference?

The Glory of God
The stars in Jesus’ hand and the lampstands in the midst of which He stands are radiant with the glory Jesus radiates on and through them. How would it be evident to people in a local community that the glory of God was present in the churches there?

Glory to Glory
Do you think if you constructed a mental image of Jesus as He is revealed in Revelation 1 that this could be something you might “visit” throughout the day? Do you think doing so would affect the extent to which you are able to carry out the Lord’s commission for you?

Memorize
Recite Revelation 1.18, 19. Pray through these verses in the light of everything we’ve seen in Revelation 1. Plan to share your memory verse with someone today.

Closing Prayer
I will extol You, my God, O King;
And I will bless Your name forever and ever.
Every day I will bless You,
And I will praise Your name forever and ever…
The LORD preserves all who love Him,
But all the wicked He will destroy.
My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD,
And all flesh shall bless His holy name
Forever and ever.

Psalm 145.1, 2, 20, 21

T. M. Moore

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The book of Revelation is the culminating episode in the story of God’s covenant. To learn more about that covenant, and to discover the way it integrates all of Scripture into the Gospel of Jesus Christ, order a copy of T. M.’s book, I Will Be Your God, by clicking here.

Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.