What is the context?
John addresses seven churches in the province of Asia. The greeting brings grace and peace from the eternal God, the seven spirits before His throne and Jesus Christ. The seven churches are named later in verse 11.
Jesus is called the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead and the ruler of the earth’s kings. The praise then names what He has done for His people: He loves them, has released them from sin through His blood and has made them a kingdom of priests to God.
The announcement of His coming reaches every eye, including those who pierced Him. The Lord God identifies Himself as the Alpha and the Omega—the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet—and as the Almighty who is, was and is to come.
How is this passage commonly understood?
Wesley understands the seven spirits as the one Holy Spirit in the fullness of His work. He takes seven as expressing completeness here, rather than seven separate divine spirits. He also understands Christ’s people as sharing in His kingdom and offering themselves to God as priests.
The Catholic Church likewise affirms the priesthood of the whole believing community in Catechism 1546–1547, while distinguishing that shared calling from its ordained ministry. The text’s language of a kingdom and priests therefore should not be presented as something the Catholic Church simply denies. Traditions differ over ordained ministry while recognizing that Christ gives His people a shared calling.
Where does this fit in God's plan?
The coming with clouds recalls the Son of Man receiving an everlasting kingdom in Daniel 7:9–14. The mourning over the pierced one recalls Zechariah 12:10–14, language also applied to Jesus’ crucifixion in John 19:31–37. Revelation brings these biblical threads together around Jesus: the One who was pierced is the One whose coming and kingship concern the whole earth.
What is our position?
Our studies Returning to the Word and The True Church According to Jesus identify the priesthood of believers as the calling of all Christ’s people. We read the kingdom and priests language here in line with that understanding: those He has redeemed share responsibility to serve God, rather than leaving the whole work of ministry to a separate group.