John meets Christ and faints with fright before writing to
7 Turkish churches
A sceptical Bible reading – Revelation - Chapter One
What will
ultimately engulf the World in fire and death starts more locally and on a
small scale in Turkey. John writes a letter to the seven main churches of Asia
Minor. (Verse 7).
He tells them that
Christ will appear before all humanity, surrounded by clouds. Unbelievers will see him (too late) as
will followers of the other World religions. The Jews and Romans are specifically
targeted in the reference (Verse 7) to ‘Those who pierced him’, meaning those
responsible for his crucifixion.
Everyone will hear Christ’s first words, (Verse 8) “I am
Alpha and Omega.” (I am the beginning and the end). Jesus is effectively
telling us that he created us and that he is about to destroy us.
As if noticing
that he is getting ahead of himself in the narrative, John now remembers to tell everyone how
this vision came to him. John, residing in exile in Patmos, Greece, tells us
that he was deep in prayer when Christ appeared to him with this opening action
in the Revelation. He tells us
that his meditational prayers were interrupted by a sound of trumpets heralding
Jesus’ arrival and wish to talk to him.
Jesus now offers
John a prophetic look at the fate of seven churches in Turkey. They are, in
order, 1/. Ephesius. 2/. Smyrna. 3/. Pergamum, 4/. Thyatira, 5/. Sardis, 6/. Philadelphia
7/ Laodicea.
The Church of Peter’s Rome, the heart of the Catholic
faith, is not among the churches John sees as central to his message.
John sees
seven-armed candelabra, bearing
the moving image of Christ on it, in full robes, with eyes blazing in fires of
anger. He seems to hold seven stars in one hand and a sword in the
other.
The sight is so startling that John faints with shock.
Jesus brings him round, and calls on him again to write down the visions he is
about to see.
Christ explains
the candelabra, with one candle representing each of the seven Turkish churches. The stars are the guardian
angels for each church’s congregation. With this, the first chapter draws to a
close.
© Copyright. Arthur Chappell
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