This month we are featuring excerpts from Anne Graham Lotz's book The Vision of Glory1 which you can purchase here and watch Dr. John Ankerberg's latest conversation with Anne.
John refused to let himself become preoccupied with his problems. How do we know that? Because in the entire book of Revelation, he only mentioned his problems one time: here in the ninth verse of the first chapter. It's as though he became so preoccupied with Christ, he did not have time to think of his own suffering and solitude. If he had been depressed by his problems, he seemed to have forgotten all about them in light of the vision of His glory; instead he became totally preoccupied with Christ.
Jesus Is the Son of Man
John described, "When I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me, I saw seven golden lampstands... The mystery of ... the seven golden lampstands is this:.... the seven lampstands are the seven churches" (Rev. 1:12, 20). In John's day, the churches were experiencing great problems of pain, persecution, and pres-sure. So when John turned around, he saw churches, made up of individual believers, who were experiencing great problems—and "among the lampstands was someone like a son of man" (Rev. 1:13).
John saw Jesus as the Son of Man—a reminder that Jesus is God, who Him-self, in His humanity, experienced great problems of pain, persecution, and pressure. And now, John was seeing Jesus in the midst of those who also had great problems!
Did you know that Jesus draws near to those who are suffering? When you experience problems, He is close beside you.
Malachi described the Lord as a refiner of gold." When gold is refined, the ore is placed in a large melting pot, then the pot is heated. The refiner watches the pot closely, turning up the heat until the ore is completely melted. When the heat is highest, the refiner is the closest, leaning over to skim off the dross until he can actually see his face reflected in the surface of the melted gold.
Has the "heat" been turned up in your life? Please turn around! Look up! The Refiner is bending close, skimming off the dross until He can see His own reflection in your life! When you suffer, do you think that God is ignoring you? That He doesn't care? That He is unwilling or unable to do anything for you?
Has your suffering been intensified by feelings of loneliness and separation and what you feel is a lack of understanding on the part of God? Turn around and look up!
Jesus Is the High Priest
When John, in the midst of his suffering and solitude, turned around and looked up, he saw Jesus "dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet" (Rev. 1:13b). That is a description of the high priest in the Old Testament." Hebrews tells us not only that Jesus is our High Priest, but that "we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. "12
Jesus understands what it feels like to suffer great problems. As a man He suffered physically, mentally, materially, emotionally, and spiritually. And He suffered to an extent we will never experience ourselves. He understands with full, personal comprehension what you are going through, and as your High Priest, "He always lives to intercede" for you before the throne of God." Jesus is praying for you with personal understanding and feeling.
Jesus Is the King of Kings
John said Jesus had "a golden sash around his chest" (Rev. 1:13c). This could be part of the description of the high priest's robe, but it is also a description of a king.
On many special occasions, the world has watched as the royal family of Great Britain has come out on the balcony at Buckingham Palace in London to greet the crowd gathered below. When the queen is in formal dress, she wears an elegant, long gown with a diamond-studded tiara on her head and a golden sash draped from her shoulder, across her chest, then tied at her waist. Before her, her father the king, in dress uniform, would also have worn the golden sash across his chest. The sash symbolizes the monarch's position of dignity and authority.
John saw Jesus, not only as Man and Priest, but as King, in full authority over whatever is taking place, not only everywhere in the universe, but in your life and mine.
Does it seem that your life is out of control? It may be out of your control, but it is fully under His control. John said he saw Jesus with the golden sash across His chest; He is the King of kings, fully in charge of whatever is going on in your life.
1Lotz, Anne Graham. The Vision of His Glory. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2009.
"Christ Asleep during the Tempest," Eugène Delacroix (French, Charenton-Saint-Maurice 1798–1863 Paris) 1853.