A Deeper Dive Into the Book of Revelation - Part 53
Unable to Stand in His Presence
When John sees the end-time Jesus in all His glory, there is no strength left in his body. Unable to stand, John collapses at Jesus’ feet.
“When I saw him, I fell at his feet like a dead man.”—Revelation 1:17 (NASB)
This is not the first time we see someone unable to stand in the glorious presence of God.
Ezekiel experienced this more than once in his encounters with the Lord.
“Above this surface was something that looked like a throne made of blue lapis lazuli. And on this throne high above was a figure whose appearance resembled a man. From what appeared to be his waist up, he looked like gleaming amber, flickering like a fire. And from his waist down, he looked like a burning flame, shining with splendor. All around him was a glowing halo, like a rainbow shining in the clouds on a rainy day. This is what the glory of the Lord looked like to me. When I saw it, I fell face down on the ground, and I heard someone’s voice speaking to me.”—Ezekiel 1:26-28 (NLT)
In Ezekiel’s second experience in the presence of the glory of God, the spirit of God had to enter him to enable him to stand up again on his own feet.
“Now the hand of the Lord was on me there, and He said to me, “Get up, go out to the plain, and there I will speak to you.” So I got up and went out to the plain; and behold, the glory of the Lord was standing there, like the glory that I saw by the river Chebar, and I fell on my face. But the Spirit entered me and set me up on my feet”—Ezekiel 3:22-24 (NASB)
Ezekiel had at least two more experiences of being completely overwhelmed in the presence of the glory of God.
“Then he led me to the gate, the gate facing east; and behold, the glory of the God of Israel was coming from the way of the east. And His voice was like the sound of many waters; and the earth shone from His glory. And it was like the appearance of the vision which I saw, like the vision which I saw when He came to destroy the city. And the visions were like the vision which I saw by the river Chebar; and I fell on my face.”—Ezekiel 43:1-3 (NASB)
“Then he brought me through the north-facing gate to the front of the Temple. As I looked, the glory of the Lord filled the Lord’s Temple, and I fell flat on my face!”—Ezekiel 44:4 (ISV)
In Daniel’s experience, it wasn’t even the Lord Himself who appeared to Daniel, but it was the angel Gabriel, who carries the glory of God with him because he stands and ministers in the very presence of God as we’re told in Luke 1:19.
“Now as he [Gabriel] was speaking with me, I fell stunned and in deep unconsciousness with my face to the ground; but he touched me and set me upright [where I had stood].”—Daniel 8:18 (AMPC)
The experience was so overwhelming for Daniel that it took several days for him to recover until his body could function normally again.
“Then I, Daniel, was overcome and lay sick for several days. Afterward I got up and performed my duties for the king, but I was greatly troubled by the vision and could not understand it.”—Daniel 8:27 (NLT)
I remember Roland Buck saying that many people questioned his experiences after the angel Gabriel visited him 27 times in the late 1970s. Some people asked if he had tested these spirits when they appeared before him. Pastor Buck said that the very fact that they would ask that question told him that they have never been in the presence of an angel who has come directly from the presence of God. The angels brought the proof with them in their visits! And to further confirm that these visits were from heavenly beings, the messages of the angels never contradicted Scripture. In fact, the angels gave Pastor Buck Scripture references that backed up the messages they spoke.
When John Paul Jackson was caught up to stand before the throne of God, he estimated that he was there for about 45 minutes, and he said that he spent the entire time standing before God’s throne with his hands in front of his face, screaming in terror.
Sometimes we forget the words of the writer of Hebrews:
“It is a fearful and terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God”—Hebrews 10:31 (AMP)
Bobby Conner has wisely said, “We have become way too familiar with a God we barely know.”
Even before Jesus was clothed in all of the end-time glory of the returning King of Kings and Lord of Lords, those who came to arrest Him on the night of His betrayal got a small taste of the overwhelming power of His glory.
“Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye?
“They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them.
“As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground.”—John 18:4-6 (KJV)
Perfect Love Casts Out Fear
After John collapsed at the sight of the glorious Christ, Jesus responded to John with perfect love.
“When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, ‘Do not be afraid’”—Revelation 1:17 (NASB)
Only perfect love can completely cast out fear (1 John 4:18). In response to John’s overwhelming fear in that moment, the One Who is perfect love drove out the fear so that John could function normally again.
Then Jesus identified Himself to John:
“I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One. I was dead. But now look! I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys to Death and Hell.”—Revelation 1:17-18 (NIRV)
John was very familiar with Jesus. He had spent 3½ years with Jesus during the time of His ministry. But Jesus appears very different to John here when He is seen in His end-time glory as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
This is the Resurrected Christ! He has fulfilled His role as the Lamb of God Who offered Himself as a sacrifice to die for our sins. Now, He is risen from the dead! He has conquered Death and Hell and, by overcoming them, He now holds those keys! He has won absolute authority over Death and Hell.
Now that He has the keys, He will lead others to victory over Death and Hell. Here, Jesus becomes a powerful model for the rest of us. He won the keys to Death and Hell by overcoming them. Now, He is able to help others overcome Death and Hell.
How can you win the keys of depression, anxiety, anger, greed, lust, alcoholism, or other addictions or problem issues? You win the keys to these problem issues by overcoming them in your own life. Once you truly overcome any problem issue, then you have won the keys to that issue, and you can then help others to overcome that same issue.
This is what Jesus taught us in His Sermon on the Mount:
“first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.”—Matthew 7:5 (ESV)
The Task at Hand
Jesus only spent a brief moment addressing John’s debilitating fear, and then, once fear had been thoroughly dealt with, Jesus immediately turned John’s attention to the assignment that He had for him.
God dealt with Elijah in the same way in 1 Kings 19. When Jezebel threatened to have Elijah killed, he became fearful and ran for his life. But God confronted Elijah, dealt with his fear, and then God immediately sent Elijah on his next assignments to anoint two new kings and a new prophet.
Jesus cares deeply about our needs and desires. He cares more about us than we care about ourselves, but He knows that if we allow ourselves to wallow in our negative feelings, that is not good for us. That can lead to destructive consequences and rob us of eternal rewards. God’s will for us is to overcome any debilitating issues, like fear, and to get on with the business of seeking God’s Kingdom, His purposes, and His goals.
Jesus demonstrates His will for all of us in this encounter with John.
-
Jesus reveals Himself to John.
-
Jesus enables John to overcome His debilitating issues.
-
Then Jesus gives John an assignment that is filled with purpose and meaning for God’s Kingdom:
“So write down what you have seen. Write about what is happening now and what will happen later.”—Revelation 1:19** **(NIRV)
Actually, Jesus is just redirecting John’s attention to the assignment that He had already given him in verse 11:
“What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.” (NKJV)
Revealing Mysteries
Jesus begins right away to reveal mysteries to John.
**“**As for the mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: the seven stars are the angels (divine messengers) of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.”—Revelation 1:20 (AMP)
Jesus Himself interpreted the meaning of these stars and lampstands that John had seen; and whenever Jesus gives us His interpretation, we are not free to come up with a different interpretation. Beware of any teacher who would offer an interpretation that contradicts the words of Jesus.
This is just the beginning of the revelation of many mysteries for John. At the end of this first chapter of Revelation, his incredible experience is just beginning!
Thanks and praise to God for this amazing gift of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, and thanks to his servant John who recorded these things for us!
