A study in the book of Revelation.
This lesson begins with a discussion of the Roman and Jewish calendars. Verses 9 through 10 includes a discussion of John in the Spirit, and he heard a voice that was like a trumpet. A trumpet is a resounding musical instrument. So, the voice was resounding, but beautiful. John would hear this voice again in Revelation 4:1. It seems that this was the voice of an angel (a special servant of God). God had sent this angel to show John the things that he describes in his book. John heard the Lord before he saw him. He heard the voice saying “I am Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last. What thou seeist, write in a book. Some say that the speaker was an angel, but angels have no authority to declare themselves as Alpha and Omega, The Beginning and the End. We proceed to discuss that John says “and being turned.” Until now, John had seen nothing unusual on this occasion. He had heard the voice of God, but the voice came from behind him. So, John either turned or was turned around so that he could see who had spoken. When he turned or was turned facing the direction of the voice, he saw 7 gold lampstands. This unique lampstand symbolizes Christ as the embodiment and expression of the Triune God. The substance of the lampstand was pure gold, which symbolizes God the Father in His divine nature. This gold was beaten into the form of a lampstand, which symbolizes God the Son, who is the embodiment of God the Father, and who was beaten at Calvary (John 14:9-11a; Col. 1:15; 2:9).
