Revelation 1

The book opens as “the revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants.” John, exiled on Patmos “on account of the word of God,” is “in the Spirit on the Lord’s day” when he hears a great voice and turns to see the glorified Christ among “seven golden lampstands” (the churches): His hair white as snow, eyes like fire, feet like burnished bronze, voice like many waters, face like the sun. John falls as dead, but Christ lays His hand on him: “Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.” He commands John to write to the seven churches.