Revelation 1:4, commentary and pictures

John, exiled on Patmos for his faith, was told to write what he saw and send a greeting of grace and peace to the seven churches in Asia. Those seven churches stand for all of God's people throughout the world, because seven means a perfect whole. The greeting comes from the eternal God who is and was and is to come, and from the seven Spirits before His throne, joined with Jesus Christ. It shows a close and decided connection between God and His people, with grace and peace coming through Christ as priest and king who receives from the Father and presents it to humanity as mediator. It belongs to the final warning about the last days and Christ's coming in glory, to be read, heard with the Spirit's help, and kept in life, with blessing on those who do so because the time is at hand.

Setting and Greeting

The greeting was given to John, the oldest of Christ's first disciples, writing as brother and companion in tribulation and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, while exiled on the Isle of Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. That exile was on rocky solitudes, where wicked men had banished him after trying to take his life and expecting him to die discouraged in old age. The same spirit that worked in the children of disobedience in Christ's day was working against His followers, for notwithstanding the evidence given them the Jewish people had not repented of their treatment of the Son of God, and the ruling powers at Jerusalem were amazed at John's testimony concerning the One whom they had condemned to death.

On Patmos John was not worthless or beyond God's care, for God's faithful people can be found wherever they are, even in lonely exile, and the loving Father can find them and be with them. There in old age he was favored with the presence of Jesus Christ whom he honored and loved above all others, communing with God every day in praise while God revealed Himself to him in a most signal manner. Christ came personally to him to give the revelation, and presented Himself to him in glorified humanity as one like unto the Son of man, seen in holy vision. John received the command to write what he saw in a book and send it to the seven churches in Asia, and the verse records that greeting of grace and peace being sent.

The seven churches in Asia represent all the churches in the world and God's people throughout the world, because the number seven represents a perfect whole. The greeting extends grace and peace from the eternal God, described as Him which is, and which was, and which is to come, and from the seven Spirits which are before His throne. That grace and peace come joined with and together with Jesus Christ.

The greeting shows that the connection between God and His people is close and decided. That grace and peace come through Christ as priest and king of His church, the first and the last, the Alpha and the Omega, the One who is and was and is to come, who has all light and life in Himself. Although endowed with the attributes of God, Christ receives His instruction from the Father, and as mediator between God and man He presents to human beings what is made known to Him by the Father. In doing so He unfolds the methods of His government and makes known that which will be hereafter, giving to those who in faith receive Him as a personal Saviour power to become the sons of God, members of the royal family, children of the heavenly King.

Prophecy and Final Warning

The verse stands in the opening section of the book as part of the divine revelation Christ gave John on Patmos concerning the last days of earth's history and the events before the close of this world's history. It is part of the message from Christ to John recorded in the first three chapters, to which faithful believers are to give heed. Its symbols will surely be fulfilled. Its symbolic prophecies reveal events leading up to Christ's coming and contain a message for the last days.

The verse belongs to a book containing the final warning message to the world. That message is an earnest warning to prepare to meet the Lord in the clouds of heaven, for He comes with power and great glory. It confronts indifference to the signs foretold by Christ and gives evidence that the end of the world is right upon us. The first chapters with the messages to the churches give the history of Satan's effort to bring dissension into the church, which must be met today.

The entire revelation given to John is the same revelation rehearsed by Moses in the Exodus and in the plagues which the Lord brought upon Egypt. Scripture is thus tested by Scripture, and there is no contradiction in the Word of God.

Reading and Living Message

This greeting belongs to the opening section of the book as part of the words of this prophecy, a divine revelation concerning events before the close of this world's history whose symbols will be fulfilled. It is to be read, understood with the Holy Spirit's help, heard attentively, and kept in practice. A special blessing rests on those who read and hear and keep the words of this prophecy because the time is at hand, and in that setting John greets the seven churches in Asia with grace and peace from the eternal God and from the seven Spirits before His throne. Coming after that blessing, the verse extends grace and peace from Him which is and was and is to come and from the seven Spirits before His throne as John's testimony and greeting written under inspiration that has lived through the ages.

The book is to come as it is and to be dwelt upon with intense earnestness as an unsealed book with light for the present time. Prayerful study of its especially timely passages helps people understand Christ's position and His relation to God and humanity. That grace and peace come through Christ as priest and king of His church, the first and the last, the Alpha and the Omega, the One who is and was and is to come, who has all light and life in Himself. Although endowed with the attributes of God, He receives His instruction from the Father, and as mediator between God and man He presents to human beings what is made known to Him by the Father, unfolding the methods of His government and making known that which will be hereafter. To those who in faith receive Him as a personal Saviour He gives power to become the sons of God, members of the royal family, children of the heavenly King.

The direction to write what was seen in a book and send it to the seven churches in Asia was not for John alone nor for those churches alone, but through those churches an inspired message was to come to God's people to make its powerful impression in every age to the close of this earth's history. It is a message for His people in every place. The seven churches represent the people of God throughout the world, and John's words to the churches bring comfort, with grace and peace from Him which is and which was and which is to come and from the seven Spirits before His throne, together with Jesus Christ.

The instruction sent to them was not to be hidden under a bushel but is to be taught to people unacquainted with the truth and to be studied and believed and preached today. It belongs to the message of the first three chapters, a message from Christ to John to which faithful believers are to give heed.