◄ Revelation 1:17 ►
When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. But He placed His right hand on me and said, "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last,
Study Bible
When I saw Him,

This phrase refers to the Apostle John's vision of the glorified Christ. The context is the island of Patmos, where John was exiled. The vision is a theophany, a divine appearance, similar to those experienced by prophets like Isaiah and Ezekiel. The sight of Christ in His glory is overwhelming, indicating His divine majesty and holiness.

Ezk 1:28 The appearance of the brilliant light all around Him…
Dan 8:17 As he came near to where I stood, I was terrified…
Mat 17:6 When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown in terror.

I fell at His feet like a dead man.

John's reaction is one of utter awe and reverence, common in biblical encounters with the divine. This response is seen in other scriptural accounts, such as Daniel's vision (Daniel 10:8-9) and Paul's encounter on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:4). It signifies the overwhelming power and holiness of God, which often renders humans powerless.

Mat 28:4 The guards trembled in fear of him and became like dead men.
Dan 10:9 I heard the sound of his words, and as I listened…
Act 9:4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him,…

But He placed His right hand on me

The right hand symbolizes authority, power, and blessing. In biblical times, the right hand was often associated with strength and favor. By placing His right hand on John, Christ conveys reassurance and empowerment, indicating His personal care and authority over the situation.

Dan 10:10 Suddenly, a hand touched me and set me trembling…
Dan 8:18 While he was speaking with me, I fell into a deep sleep,…
Mat 17:7 Then Jesus came over and touched them. “Get up,” He said.…

and said, “Do not be afraid.

This command is a common divine reassurance found throughout Scripture, from the Old Testament (e.g., Joshua 1:9) to the New Testament (e.g., Luke 1:30). It reflects God's desire to comfort and encourage His people, especially in moments of fear or uncertainty. The presence of Christ dispels fear, emphasizing His role as the Prince of Peace.

Dan 10:19 “Do not be afraid, you who are highly precious,” he said.…
Luk 1:13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah,…
Luk 1:30 So the angel told her, “Do not be afraid, Mary,…

I am the First and the Last,

This title affirms Christ's eternal nature and divine sovereignty, echoing God's self-revelation in Isaiah 44:6. It underscores His preexistence and eternal reign, affirming His deity. This phrase connects to the Alpha and Omega, emphasizing that Christ is the beginning and the end of all things, sovereign over history and creation.

Isa 44:6 Thus says the LORD, the King and Redeemer of Israel…
Isa 48:12 Listen to Me, O Jacob, and Israel, whom I have called:…
Isa 41:4 Who has performed this and carried it out,…

Persons / Places / Events
1. John the Apostle
The author of the Book of Revelation, who receives the vision and falls at the feet of Jesus in awe and reverence.

2. Jesus Christ
The central figure in this verse, who reveals Himself to John as the "First and the Last," a title affirming His divinity and eternal nature.

3. Patmos
The island where John receives the vision, a place of exile and revelation.

4. Vision of Christ
The event where John encounters the glorified Christ, leading to his overwhelming response.

5. Right Hand of Jesus
Symbolizes authority, power, and reassurance, as Jesus uses it to comfort John.
Teaching Points
Reverence for Christ
Recognize the holiness and majesty of Jesus, which should lead us to a posture of humility and worship.

Divine Reassurance
Jesus' words, "Do not be afraid," remind us of His constant presence and comfort in times of fear and uncertainty.

Eternal Nature of Christ
Understanding Jesus as the "First and the Last" affirms His sovereignty over all time and history, encouraging trust in His eternal plan.

Response to Divine Encounters
Like John, our encounters with God should lead to transformation and a deeper commitment to His purposes.

Authority of Jesus
The right hand of Jesus symbolizes His power and authority, which He uses to guide and protect His followers.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does John's reaction to seeing Jesus challenge or affirm your own understanding of reverence and worship?

2. In what ways can Jesus' reassurance, "Do not be afraid," impact your response to fear or uncertainty in your life?

3. How does the title "First and the Last" deepen your understanding of Jesus' role in the grand account of Scripture?

4. Reflect on a time when you felt overwhelmed by God's presence. How did that experience change your relationship with Him?

5. How can the authority and power of Jesus, symbolized by His right hand, influence your daily decisions and actions as a believer?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Isaiah 44:6
This verse also refers to God as the "First and the Last," establishing a connection between the Old Testament understanding of God and the revelation of Jesus' divine nature.

Daniel 10:8-10
Similar to John's reaction, Daniel falls into a deep sleep with his face to the ground when he encounters a divine being, showing a consistent biblical response to divine revelation.

Matthew 17:6-7
During the Transfiguration, the disciples fall facedown in fear, and Jesus touches them, saying, "Do not be afraid," paralleling His reassurance to John.

Philippians 2:10-11
Every knee will bow at the name of Jesus, reflecting the reverence and awe that John experiences.

Hebrews 1:3
Jesus is described as the radiance of God's glory, which aligns with the overwhelming presence John encounters.
Sermons
Swooning and Reviving Christ's FeetCharles Hadden Spurgeon Revelation 1:17
The Fear Nots of ChristS. Conway Revelation 1:17
The Vision of the LordS. Conway Revelation 1:9-20
The Vision of the Son of ManR. Green Revelation 1:9-20
Voices and Visions from EternityD. Thomas Revelation 1:10-17
Christ the TruthCanon Knox Little.Revelation 1:13-20
Christ's Countenance Compared to the SunJames Durham.Revelation 1:13-20
Lessons from the Christ of PatmosC. H. Spurgeon.Revelation 1:13-20
St. John's VisionW. Cardall, B. A.Revelation 1:13-20
The Administration of ChristJames Stark.Revelation 1:13-20
The Christ of PatmosC. H. Spurgeon.Revelation 1:13-20
The Exalted SaviourJames Young.Revelation 1:13-20
The First Scene in the Great RevelationEvan Lewis, B. A.Revelation 1:13-20
The Introductory VisionG. Rogers.Revelation 1:13-20
The Offices of Christ Continued in HeavenJames Durham.Revelation 1:13-20
The Power of an Objective FaithCanon T. T. Carter.Revelation 1:13-20
The Son of Man Amid the CandlesticksJames Young.Revelation 1:13-20
The Voice of ChristW. D. Killen, D. D.Revelation 1:13-20
The White Hair of JesusT. De Witt Talmage.Revelation 1:13-20
The World's Great High PriestJ. S. Exell, M. A.Revelation 1:13-20
Christ's Ministry on Earth, and His Existence in HeavenD. Thomas Revelation 1:17, 18
The Living One: an Easter Sunday SermonS. Conway Revelation 1:17, 18
A Funeral SermonD. Merrill.Revelation 1:17-20
A Living Christ Explains Christian HistoryCanon Liddon.Revelation 1:17-20
An Apocalyptic Vision of ChristA. M. Fairbairn, D. D.Revelation 1:17-20
An Easter SermonBp. Phillips Brooks.Revelation 1:17-20
Christ a Living SaviourR. W. Dale, D. D.Revelation 1:17-20
Christ Destroys the Believer's FearsG. Philip.Revelation 1:17-20
Christ the King of Death and HadesT. J. Choate.Revelation 1:17-20
Christ Wielding the Keys of Death, and of the World UnseenDean Goulburn.Revelation 1:17-20
Christ with the Keys of Death and HellC. H. Spurgeon.Revelation 1:17-20
Christ's Life in HeavenHomilistRevelation 1:17-20
Christ's Sovereignty Over the Invisible WorldW. J. Chapman, M. A.Revelation 1:17-20
Christ's Words of Good CheerG. A. Chadwick, D. D.Revelation 1:17-20
Fear NotW. L. Watkinson.Revelation 1:17-20
Fear NotJ. Trapp.Revelation 1:17-20
Hades, or the UnseenG. Gilfillan, M. A.Revelation 1:17-20
Infallible Antidotes Against Unbelieving FearsT. Boston, D. D.Revelation 1:17-20
Jesus Christ and the Nineteenth CenturyW. Lloyd, D. D.Revelation 1:17-20
Jesus Living for EverE. Brown.Revelation 1:17-20
ReverenceCanon Liddon.Revelation 1:17-20
Sudden RevelationsJ. Parker, D. D.Revelation 1:17-20
The Christ of History and EternityC. A. Berry.Revelation 1:17-20
The Fear of GodG. MacDonald.Revelation 1:17-20
The Glorious Master and the Swooning DiscipleC. H. Spurgeon.Revelation 1:17-20
The Kingdom and the KeysA. Raleigh, D. D.Revelation 1:17-20
The Life of Christ in HeavenAbp. Magee.Revelation 1:17-20
The Living ChristP. T. Forsyth, D. D.Revelation 1:17-20
The Living LordW. Clarkson, B. A.Revelation 1:17-20
The Living OneR. Roberts.Revelation 1:17-20
The Living One Who Became DeadA. Maclaren, D. D.Revelation 1:17-20
The Nature and Design of the VisionG. Rogers.Revelation 1:17-20
The Prostrate ApostleJames Young.Revelation 1:17-20
The Royal Prerogatives of the Living RedeemerJ. H. Hill.Revelation 1:17-20
The Soul's Vision of ChristJ. S. Exell, M. A.Revelation 1:17-20
Through Death to LifeW. Brock, D. D.Revelation 1:17-20
People
John
Places
Ephesus, Laodicea, Patmos, Pergamum, Philadelphia, Sardis, Smyrna, Thyatira
Topics
Afraid, Dead, Ever-living, Face, Fall, Fear, Fell, Laid, Placed, Saying, Though
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Revelation 1:17

     2030   Christ, holiness
     2069   Christ, pre-eminence
     4909   beginning
     4945   history
     5151   feet
     5854   experience, of God
     5865   gestures
     5888   inferiority
     6634   deliverance
     7372   hands, laying on
     8462   priority, of God

Revelation 1:10-18

     8630   worship, results

Revelation 1:12-18

     1466   vision

Revelation 1:17-18

     2203   Christ, titles of
     2345   Christ, kingdom of
     9121   eternity, nature of
     9615   hope, results of

Library
May 10. "I am Alive Forevermore" (Rev. I. 18).
"I am alive forevermore" (Rev. i. 18). Here is the message of the Christ of the cross and the still more glorious and precious Christ of the resurrection. It is beautiful and inspiring to note the touch of light and glory with which these simple words invest the cross. It is not said I am He that was dead and liveth, but "I am He that liveth and was dead, but am alive forevermore." Life is mentioned before the death. There are two ways of looking at the cross. One is from the death side and the other …
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

The Glorious Master and the Swooning Disciple
If our conceptions of the Lord Jesus are very enlarged, they will only be his due. We cannot exaggerate here. He deserves higher praise than we can ever render to him. As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high is be above our loftiest conceptions. Even when the angels strike their loudest notes, and chant his praises most exultingly on their highest festal days, the music falls far short of his excellence. He is higher than a seraph's most soaring thought! Rise then, my brethren, as on …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 18: 1872

10Th Day. Dying Grace.
"He is Faithful that Promised." "I have the keys of hell and of death."--REV. i. 18. Dying Grace. And from whom could dying grace come so welcome, as from Thee, O blessed Jesus? Not only is Thy name, "The Abolisher of Death;" but Thou didst thyself die! Thou hast sanctified the grave by Thine own presence, and divested it of all its terrors. My soul! art thou at times afraid of this, thy last enemy? If the rest of thy pilgrimage-way be peaceful and unclouded, rests there a dark and portentous …
John Ross Macduff—The Faithful Promiser

Swooning and Reviving Christ's Feet.
AN ADDRESS DELIVERED AT THE CLOSE OF ONE OF THE PASTORS' COLLEGE CONFERENCES. "And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. And He laid His right hand upon me saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold. I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death."--Revelation i. 17, 18. SWOONING AND REVIVING AT CHRIST'S FEET. WE have nothing now to think of but our Lord. We come to Him that He may cause us to forget all others. …
Charles Hadden Spurgeon—Till He Come

The Fear of God.
And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as one dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying, Fear not; I am the first and the last and the Living one.'--Rev. i. 17, 18. It is not alone the first beginnings of religion that are full of fear. So long as love is imperfect, there is room for torment. That lore only which fills the heart--and nothing but love can fill any heart--is able to cast out fear, leaving no room for its presence. What we find in the beginnings of religion, will hold in varying …
George MacDonald—Unspoken Sermons

Catalogue of his Works.
There is no absolutely complete edition of Eusebius' extant works. The only one which can lay claim even to relative completeness is that of Migne: Eusebii Pamphili, Cæsareæ Palestinæ Episcopi, Opera omnia quæ extant, curis variorum, nempe: Henrici Valesii, Francisci Vigeri, Bernardi Montfauconii, Card. Angelo Maii edita; collegit et denuo recognovit J. P. Migne. Par. 1857. 6 vols. (tom. XIX.-XXIV. of Migne's Patrologia Græca). This edition omits the works which are …
Eusebius Pamphilius—Church History

The First and the Last
This title is used in Rev. i. 11. It is used again in 1. 17, ii. 8, and xxii. 13, but is never found in connection with "the Church of God." On the other hand, it is a title closely associated with "the Jew and the Gentile," as the following Scriptures will testify. Is. xli. 4, 5: "Who hath wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I, Jehovah, THE FIRST AND LAST; I am He. The isles saw it, and feared; the ends of the earth were afraid." Is. xliv. 6: "Thus saith the Lord, the …
E.W. Bullinger—Commentary on Revelation

The Lord's Day
In Rev. i. 9 we are told that John saw and received this revelation on "the Lord's Day." Leaving the former part of this verse for the present, let us notice the latter expression, "the Lord's Day." [4] The majority of people, being accustomed from their infancy to hear the first day of the week called the Lord's Day, conclude in their own minds that that day is thus called in Rev. i. 9 because that was the name of it. But the contrary is the fact: the day is so called by us because of this verse. …
E.W. Bullinger—Commentary on Revelation

A Great Voice
This expression links on the book of Revelation to the book of Deuteronomy, especially if we regard it in the connection with the fire, with which it is associated in each case. Ten times is the voice of God speaking "out of the midst of the fire" heard in Deuteronomy: viz., chaps. iv. 12,15,33,36; v. 4,22(19) [36] , 23(20), 24(21), 25(21), 26(23). Here, in Rev. i. 10, John hears "a great voice," and it is connected with fire, for the eyes of the speaker were "as a flame of fire" (ver. 14) and his …
E.W. Bullinger—Commentary on Revelation

Call to China and Voyage Hence
The known facts in regard to John Talmage's boyhood and youthful days are few. Of the known facts some perhaps are too trivial, others too sacred to bear mention. The sapling grew. Of the inner and outer circles of growth there is but brief record. He spent his boyhood at a quiet country hamlet, Gateville, New Jersey. On the ridge swung the toll-gate, and a little beyond might be heard the hum and rattle of the grist-mill. His father kept the toll-gate. John was a fine horseman, and found great sport …
Rev. John Gerardus Fagg—Forty Years in South China

Within the Holiest
Gerhard Ter Steegen Rev. i. 5, 6 His priest am I, before Him day and night, Within His Holy Place; And death, and life, and all things dark and bright, I spread before His Face. Rejoicing with His joy, yet ever still, For silence is my song My work to bend beneath His blessed will, All day, and all night long-- For ever holding with Him converse sweet, Yet speechless, for my gladness is complete. …
Frances Bevan—Hymns of Ter Steegen, Suso, and Others

Moreover, to Give a Fuller Demonstration of this Point...
[2829] Rev. i. 5 [2830] 1 Cor. xv. 23 [2831] 1 Cor. xv. 42-4 [2832] animale. [2833] Phil. iii. 21 …
Various—Life and Works of Rufinus with Jerome's Apology Against Rufinus.

The Fire of Love --Book I
Chapter I Note iii., p. 16--C. reads: for thai vnmanerly wyth warldly mone has armyd tham self.' But L. quia terrenas pecunias immoderate amauerunt'; which is probably correct, and which I have therefore followed. Note iv., p. 17--an omission in C. L., reads: Erumpit enim in ostensione operis feruor amoris.' Note v., p. 18--Another omission L. et qui ad amandum deum semper sunt auidi.' Chapter II Note vi., p. 20 The Bible references are to the Vulgate of Sixtus V and Clement VII, and where the …
Richard Rolle—The Fire of Love

The Source of Power
'And the Angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep, 2. And said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold, a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps which are upon the top thereof: 3. And two olive-trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof. 4. So I answered and spake to the Angel that talked with …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

A Sight of the Crowned Christ
(Revelation, Chapter i.) "Since mine eyes were fixed on Jesus, I've lost sight of all beside, So enchained my spirit's vision, Looking at the Crucified." "The Lord Christ passed my humble cot: I knew him, yet I knew him not; But as I oft had done before, I hurried through my narrow door To touch His garment's hem. "He drew me to a place apart From curious crowd and noisy mart; And as I sat there at His feet I caught the thrill of His heart-beat Beyond His garment's hem. "Rare was the bread He broke …
by S. D. Gordon—Quiet Talks on the Crowned Christ of Revelation

Love's Complaining
Hence our Lord's fitness to deal with the churches, which are these golden lamp-stands, for no one knows so much about the lamps as the person whose constant work it is to watch them and trim them. No one knows the churches as Jesus does, for the care of all the churches daily comes upon him, he continually walks among them, and holds their ministers as stars in his right hand. His eyes are perpetually upon the churches, so that he knows their works, their sufferings, and their sins; and those eyes …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 32: 1886

Our Lord Appears after his Ascension.
^F I. Cor. XV. 8. ^f 8 and last of all, as to the child untimely born, he appeared to me also. [Since Paul reckons this among the bodily appearances of our Lord, we have included it in our work; but it borders upon those spiritual appearances which belong rather to apostolic history and may be classed with the vision of Stephen (Acts vii. 55) and John (Rev. i. 9-17), to which it was near kin. Accounts of the appearance will be found in the ninth, twenty-second and twenty-sixth chapters of Acts. For …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

The Living One
"I am He that liveth, and was dead" (i. 18). (...) (ho zon), THE LIVING ONE. Like the previous title, it is used as a special designation of the One whose unveiling is about to be shewn to John. Its use is peculiar to Daniel and Revelation. The two books thus linked together by it are linked as to their character and subject matter in a very special manner. It is used twice in Daniel:- Dan. iv. 34 (31 [19] ) and xii. 7; and six time in Revelation:- Rev. i. 18; iv. 9,10; v. 14; x. 6; and xv. 7. [20] …
E.W. Bullinger—Commentary on Revelation

Lord God
In i. 8 the title "god" must be added to the word "Lord," according to all the Critical Greek Texts [14] and the R.V. In chap. xxii. 6 we have the same title. Thus at the end of the book and at the beginning we have this peculiar title, which seems to enclose all that the book contains, and stamp it all with that which the title signifies. What is signifies is clear from the place where we first find it, vix., in the second of the twelve divisions of Genesis (chap. ii. 4 - iv. 26). This division …
E.W. Bullinger—Commentary on Revelation

Letter v. Yes, My Dear Friend, it is My Conviction that in all Ordinary Cases the Knowledge...
Yes, my dear friend, it is my conviction that in all ordinary cases the knowledge and belief of the Christian Religion should precede the study of the Hebrew Canon. Indeed, with regard to both Testaments, I consider oral and catechismal instruction as the preparative provided by Christ himself in the establishment of a visible Church. And to make the Bible, apart from the truths, doctrines, and spiritual experiences contained therein, the subject of a special article of faith, I hold an unnecessary …
Samuel Taylor Coleridge—Confessions of an Inquiring Spirit etc

The Royal Priesthood
Gerhard Ter Steegen Jer. xxxiii. 18; Rev. i. 6 The race of God's anointed priests shall never pass away; Before His glorious Face they stand, and serve Him night and day. Though reason raves, and unbelief flows on, a mighty flood, There are, and shall be, till the end, the hidden priests of God. His chosen souls, their earthly dross consumed in sacred fire, To God's own heart their hearts ascend in flame of deep desire; The incense of their worship fills His Temple's holiest place; Their song with …
Frances Bevan—Hymns of Ter Steegen, Suso, and Others

Communion Again Broken --Restoration
Cant. v. 2-vi.10. The fourth section commences with an address of the bride to the daughters of Jerusalem, in which she narrates her recent sad experience, and entreats their help in her trouble. The presence and comfort of her Bridegroom are again lost to her; not this time by relapse into worldliness, but by slothful self-indulgence. We are not told of the steps that led to her failure; of how self again found place in her heart. Perhaps spiritual pride in the achievements which grace enabled her …
J. Hudson Taylor—Union and Communion

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