Sermon Tone Analysis

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[[@page.3.1.13]][[@bible.87.1.13]]!!!! 3.1.13

- Revelation  [[1:13|bible.87.1.13]]

in the midst \\ The Levites, who performed the priestly duty of the OT, camped around the glory of the Lord which resided in the Tabernacle (Num.

[[1:50|bible.4.1.50]];

1Chr.

[[9:27|bible.13.9.27]]).

The glory of the Lord was in the "midst" of the Levitical priests.

The lampstands, which represent the churches (Rev.

[[1:20|bible.87.1.20]]+),

made up of believers who are priests unto God (Rev.

[[1:6|bible.87.1.6]]+),

also have the glory of the Lord in their midst (Mtt.

[[18:20|bible.61.18.20]]).1 Unlike other religions of the world, the Christian is not serving a famous /mortal/ man whose body is now long moldering in the grave.

Christ's corpse is unavailable because He is risen and active among His Church as the body of Christ continues to minister on the earth in His absence.Unlike the glory of God in the OT which departed from the people of God due to their sin (1S.

[[16:14|bible.9.16.14]];

Ps. [[51:11|bible.19.51.11]];

Eze.

[[8:6|bible.26.8.6]]; [[9:3|bible.26.9.3]]; [[10:4|bible.26.10.4]],

[[18-19|bible.26.10.18-26.10.19]];

[[11:22-23|bible.26.11.22-26.11.23]];

Hos.

[[5:14|bible.28.5.14]]), each NT believer is indwelt and /permanently sealed/ with the Holy Spirit (John [[6:27|bible.64.6.27]];

[[14:16|bible.64.14.16]]; 2Cor.

[[1:22|bible.68.1.22]];

Eph.

[[1:13|bible.70.1.13]];

[[4:30|bible.70.4.30]]).2

He is in the midst of His Church, and will remain there "for the day of redemption" (Eph.

[[4:30|bible.70.4.30]]).the

seven lampstands \\ In the OT, the Menorah was made of a single central shaft to which six (or eight) branches were joined, the entire assembly being a single affair.

Here, we have seven individual lamps, representing the seven typical (and historical) churches which represent the witness of Christ through the church.

The central shaft joining these seven lamps and providing the oil for their continued illumination is Christ Himself (John [[15:5|bible.64.15.5]]).

Some have seen in the separate lampstands a reference to the dispersion of the Jews.3

Son of Man \\ In a remarkable passage in the OT "a likeness with the appearance of a man" (Eze.

[[1:26|bible.26.1.26]])

is seen high above the throne.

His form is clothed in brilliant radiance which Ezekiel describes as "the likeness of the glory of the LORD" (Eze.

[[1:27|bible.26.1.27]]).

This is the One Who was seen by Stephen just prior to his death (Acts [[7:56|bible.65.7.56]]).

Consistent with the description found in /Revelation 1:7/, this is the One who is presented to the Ancient of Days in the book of Daniel (Dan.

[[7:13|bible.27.7.13]]) and who is to receive "dominion and glory, and a kingdom" (Dan.

[[7:14|bible.27.7.14]]).

Jesus applied this term to Himself in the gospels (Dan.

[[7:13|bible.27.7.13]];

Mtt.

[[24:30|bible.61.24.30]]; [[26:64|bible.61.26.64]];

Mark [[13:26|bible.62.13.26]]; [[14:62|bible.62.14.62]];

Luke [[21:27|bible.63.21.27]]).

Jesus is both the "Son of God" and "Son of Man."

These two titles hint at the mystery of the incarnation, where all the fullness of God dwelt in human form (Col. [[2:9|bible.72.2.9]]).

Jesus, as the "Son of God," is divine and without sin.

As the "Son of Man," he was begotten of Mary in the line from David, Abraham, and Adam (Mtt.

[[1:1|bible.61.1.1]],

[[6|bible.61.1.6]];

Luke [[3:31|bible.63.3.31]],

[[34|bible.63.3.34]],

[[38|bible.63.3.38]];

Rev. [[12:1-5|bible.87.12.1-87.12.5]]+).

His divinity and virgin birth provide the necessary perfection by which His death could atone for the sins of the world (Isa.

[[53:9|bible.23.53.9]];

John [[8:46|bible.64.8.46]]; [[14:30|bible.64.14.30]]; 2Cor.

[[5:21|bible.68.5.21]];

Heb.

[[4:15|bible.79.4.15]]; [[7:26|bible.79.7.26]]; [[9:14|bible.79.9.14]]; 1Pe.

[[1:19|bible.81.1.19]];

[[2:22|bible.81.2.22]]; 1Jn.

[[3:5|bible.83.3.5]]).

Although He is truly a man (Php.

[[2:7|bible.71.2.7]]; Heb.

[[2:17|bible.79.2.17]]),

He is unique from all other men in His sinless perfection (Rom.

[[8:3|bible.66.8.3]]).As the "Son of Man," His humanity provides for His role as the judge (John [[5:27|bible.64.5.27]]) and kinsman-redeemer (/Goel/, 1Ti.

[[2:5|bible.75.2.5]])4 of mankind (Rev.

[[5:4-5|bible.87.5.4-87.5.5]]+); to taste of death (Heb.

[[2:14|bible.79.2.14]]); and to restore the dominion lost by the first man Adam.5

One like the /Son of Man/ appears again in Rev. [[14:14|bible.87.14.14]]+

where He reaps a harvest from the earth.

garment down to the feet \\ Apparently a reference to His priestly garments.

"The /long/ robe is every where in the East the garment of dignity and honour (Gen.

[[37:3|bible.1.37.3]];

Mark 13:38 [/sic/]; Luke [[15:22|bible.63.15.22]])--the association of dignity with it probably resting originally on the absence of the necessity of labor."6

girded about the chest \\ The high priest wore a priestly "sash" around his priestly garment at the height of the breast (Ex.

[[28:4|bible.2.28.4]]; [[28:39|bible.2.28.39]]; [[39:29|bible.2.39.29]];

Lev.

[[8:7|bible.3.8.7]]; [[16:4|bible.3.16.4]]).

But this sash was not made of gold (see below).

A garment reaching to the feet was impractical for those who were laborers and came to denote a position of status.

The seven angels of Rev. [[15:6|bible.87.15.6]]+ are similarly girded.The ordinary girding for one actively engaged was /at the loins/ (1K.

[[2:5|bible.11.2.5]]; [[18:46|bible.11.18.46]];

Jer.

[[13:2|bible.24.13.2]] cf.

Luke [[12:35|bible.63.12.35]];

Eph.

[[6:14|bible.70.6.14]];

1Pe.

[[1:13|bible.81.1.13]]);

but Josephus expressly tells us that the Levitical priests were girt higher up, about the breast . . .

favouring, as this higher cincture did, a calmer, more majestic movement.7

Christ has an unchangeable priesthood because He continues forever (Heb.