Revelation (Written)

Friday, 21 August 2020

I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. Revelation 1:9

John has given his introductory salutation, an explanation of who it is ultimately from (meaning the Lord), and he has provided a proclamation from the Lord concerning His very nature. John now returns to an explanation of how the revelation came to him. In this, he follows the prophets of old who likewise received revelation, but who also took the time to then explain how it came about. An example of this is found in Ezekiel 1 –

“Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the River Chebar, that the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God. ² On the fifth day of the month, which was in the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity, ³ the word of the Lord came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the River Chebar; and the hand of the Lord was upon him there.” Ezekiel 1:1-3

In this same style of receiving the prophetic word, John begins with, “I, John, your brother.” John is writing to those of the faith, meaning Christians. The greeting is intended to unite both writer and reader in a fraternal bond in the faith. From there, he says, “and companion in the tribulation.”

The word translated as “companion” is one which signifies a fellow partaker in an event. In other words, John is acknowledging the fact that he is a part of the tribulation that he already knows his reader is experiencing.

In other words, the state of tribulation is an expected part of being a Christian. It is not something we are delivered from while in this life. Rather, it is something that goes along with life in Christ. The word signifies an internal pressure that causes a person to feel confined. There is no way of escape while we are in this life.

With that noted, John next says, “and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ.” Some try to separate the tribulation from the kingdom. In other words, tribulation is of this life, but kingdom anticipates our future life. This is incorrect. The idea of the “kingdom” is one of present participation as well as future expectation.

For example, Paul speaks of the kingdom in relation to believers as “right now” in Romans 14:17, saying, “for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” However, he also speaks of it as a future anticipation in 1 Corinthians 15:50, saying, “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption.”

Thus, the kingdom John is referring to is the state of existence believers are in at any given time. Hence, he notes along with it, “patience.” Believers possess eternal life and the kingdom right now. And yet, it is not yet realized in its fullness. Thus, there is the need for patience in Christ as we await the consummation of that which is already assured. The words of John harmoniously sync with those of the other apostolic writings in this regard.

With this note of comforting assurance complete, John now begins the specifics of how the revelation was received. He “was on the island that is called Patmos.” Patmos is a small, rocky, and barren island about 60 miles southwest of Ephesus. This is the only time it is mentioned in Scripture. At the time of the writing of Revelation, most likely at the time of Emperor Domitian (AD81-96), it was a Roman isle of banishment. Albert Barnes explains this –

“Lonely, desolate, barren, uninhabited, seldom visited, it had all the requisites which could be desired for a place of punishment; and banishment to that place would accomplish all that a persecutor could wish in silencing an apostle, without putting him to death. It was no uncommon thing, in ancient times, to banish people from their country; either sending them forth at large, or specifying some particular place to which they were to go. The whole narrative leads us to suppose that this place was designated as that to which John was to be sent. Banishment to an island was a common mode of punishment; and there was a distinction made by this act in favor of those who were thus banished. The more base, low, and vile of criminals were commonly condemned to work in the mines; the more decent and respectable were banished to some lonely island.”

For an aged man, this would have been a brutally hard existence. But John’s next words make the exile to this lonely spot out to be an honor because it was “for the word of God.” This does not mean that he was there to receive the word of God, but rather that he was there because of his proclamation of the word of God.

He, like the other apostles and faithful disciples of Christ, proclaimed Scripture. It is this “word of God” that was deemed to be contrary to the values of the Roman empire, and thus they attempted to have it silenced. What can be inferred here is that if John were martyred for his witness, it would be harmful rather than helpful to that end. Having martyred the other apostles, the word spread forth more, not less. In order to avoid this, John was sent into exile.

John finishes this verse by stating that his exile was also “for the testimony of Jesus Christ.” In proclaiming the word of God, he was proclaiming the message of Christ because the entire body of Scripture – both Old and New Testaments – points to Jesus Christ. Jesus stated as much in John 5 –

“You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.” John 5:39

And again –

“For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me.” John 5:46

The Old Testament proclaimed the Christ to come. From there, the New Testament proclaims the Christ who has come. This is the testimony of John, and it is what led to his exile on the lonely island Patmos.

Life application: John’s words speak of 1) tribulation, 2) kingdom, and 3) patience. As Revelation continues, John will address all three of these. Here is how they are explained in the New Testament –

1) Tribulation – Never in the Bible is there a guarantee that believers will be free from suffering in this life. In fact, based on the example of the apostles, the opposite can – and indeed should – be expected. Paul explains the purpose of our tribulations –

“And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; ⁴ and perseverance, character; and character, hope. ⁵ Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Romans 5:3-5

2) Kingdom – Peter admonishes believers about the kingdom –

“Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; ¹¹ for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 1:10, 11

3) Patience – Patience is a product of the testing of your faith. James explains this in his epistle –

“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.” James 1:2

Though the recipients of these letters are different, all are believers who are partakers of the gospel message which is found in Jesus Christ. John’s words are directed to the seven churches, but they are ultimately intended for all believers in Christ to read and understand the message conveyed from God through him.

Lord, we ask that you allow us to glory in tribulations, have patience as we await the consummation of Your kingdom, and maintain fortitude as our faith is tested. We know that we will learn from them if we endure them. In this, we will become well-rounded and faithful Christians. So, if they are to continue, may we learn through what we face, to Your glory! Amen.

Thursday, 20 August 2020

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” Revelation 1:8

Again, there is a difference in source texts. Placing them side by side will show this more clearly –

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” (NASB et al)

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” (NKJV et al)

The differences, though obvious, do not change any overall theology because all of the titles are used together elsewhere. Understanding these variances, and using the NKJV as the basis for the evaluation, John cites the words of the Lord beginning with, “I am the Alpha and the Omega.”

These are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, comparable to saying “A to Z” in English or Aleph to Tav in Hebrew. It thus forms an all-inclusive statement. Everything that can be expressed by the language is contained within the letters of the language. This includes the concepts of time, space, and matter. If the concept is explainable by the language, then it is included in this thought because the first and last letters are representative of the whole. Albert Barnes notes –

“Among the Jewish rabbis it was common to use the first and the last letters of the Hebrew alphabet to denote the whole of anything, from beginning to end. Thus, it is said, ‘Adam transgressed the whole law, from Aleph (א) to Taw (תּ).’”

The Lord next provides an explanation of the meaning of the words, saying, “the Beginning and the End.” The reason this is considered an explanation of the previous words is that they were prefixed by definite articles, whereas in the original Greek the words “Beginning” and “End” are not  –

“the Alpha and the Omega – Beginning and End.” (Ἐγώ εἰμι τὸ Α καὶ τὸ Ω ἀρχὴ καὶ τέλος).

The words carry the same general weight as those found several times in the book of Isaiah, such as –

“Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel,
And his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts:
‘I am the First and I am the Last;
Besides Me there is no God.” Isaiah 44:6

Further, the words carry the same general tone as those of Paul in Colossians 1. There Christ is described as the firstborn over all creation (signifying prior to creation), the Creator, the Sustainer, the head of the church, the firstborn from the dead, and etc. Paul’s words were given to show the preeminence of Christ in all things. The words now spoken by Jesus show the absolute existence of Christ – the “I AM THAT I AM.” Nothing exists in all of creation apart from Christ Jesus because the existence of all things is derived from His eternal, unchanging existence.

The proclamation continues with, “says the Lord.” As noted above, some texts say, “says the Lord God.” Whether the word “God” is in the original or not, the intent of the rest of the words speak of deity. They affirm that Jesus Christ is God. Because he is the Beginning and the End, He is also “the First and the Last” (see verse 1:17). As He is, then He is the Lord God of Isaiah 44 (above). He is Yehovah Sabaoth (the Lord of hosts).

However, because the words “Beginning and End” are used in this verse, while the words “First and Last” are used in verse 1:17, some try to say that this verse is speaking of God while verse 1:17 is speaking of Jesus (implying He is not God). This is an error in analysis because in Revelation 22, it says –

“And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. ¹³ I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.” Revelation 22:12, 13

When the Bible is taken as a whole – Old Testament and New – there is only the obvious conclusion that Jesus Christ is the Lord God. He is the incarnate word and the second member of the Trinity. A further confirmation of this comes with the next words of the verse, which say, “who is and who was and who is to come.”

The same phrase is used in verses 1:4, 1:8, 4:8, and 11:17. In them, there is no doubt that they are referring to the same being – God (1:4), the Lord (1:8), and the Lord God Almighty (4:8 & 11:17). But, because all of the other terms of this verse are referring to Jesus here and elsewhere, then Jesus must – by default – be the Lord God Almighty. If not, then the book of Revelation is a blasphemously compiled book of contradiction.

The term itself describes the eternal nature of Christ (who is God). There is no time that He did not exist. He exists now, and He will never cease to exist. The proclamation then finishes with, ὁ παντοκράτωρ, ho pantokratór, “the Almighty.”

It is a term used nine times in Revelation, and only elsewhere in 2 Corinthians 6:18. It is derived from two separate words signifying “all” and “rule.” Thus, He is the all-ruling God, absolutely sovereign over His creation. He is omnipotent and almighty. Ascribing such a title to Christ Jesus, if He were not God, would be the highest form of blasphemy. But in understanding who Jesus is – the incarnate Word of God – the title reveals another aspect of His majesty and glory.

Life application: As the titles found in Revelation are ascribed to both God and Jesus, it destroys the claims of those who deny the deity of Christ, including cults such as the Jehovah’s Witnesses. If the Bible is the word of God (which it is), either Jesus is God, or the book of Revelation is a confused document where God has allowed unbelievably sloppy work to be included in His word.

Jesus is the divine visitor found throughout the Old Testament – the Angel of the Lord who met Abraham at Alon Mamre, Moses at the Burning Bush, Joshua at Gilgal, Gideon at Ophrah, and numerous other visits throughout the Old Testament. He is the Lord of and above His creation, and He is the One who united with it in order to redeem fallen man. He is the image of the invisible God. He is the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe. He is Jesus.

Nothing could be clearer when the Bible is taken as a whole. God entered into the stream of human existence to restore that which was lost. It is in Jesus Christ that this came about. Let us never fail to bring glory to God by honoring the Son.

Glorious Almighty and ever-present Lord God – our minds cannot grasp the enormity of who You are. You are the Creator who loved us enough to participate in Your creation by uniting with it in human flesh. How can we grasp such an incredibly glorious thing? Surely You have done, are doing, and will continue to do great things for us. Thank You for Jesus Christ our Lord. Holy is His name! Amen.

Wednesday, 19 August 2020

Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen. Revelation 1:7

John, after giving his greeting and a short doxology, which comprised verses 4-6, now makes a proclamation about the future concerning Christ Jesus. He says, “Behold, He is coming with the clouds.” The idea of coming with the clouds is that of glory, power, and exaltation. The same type of terminology is seen of the Lord, riding on the clouds, in passages like Deuteronomy 33:26, Psalm 68:4, and Isaiah 19:1. As this is speaking of Jesus, it is thus an implied reference to His deity. Specifically, however, John’s words are a clear allusion to Jesus’ own words recorded in the gospels, such as –

“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. ³⁰ Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. ³¹ And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” Matthew 24:29-31

That, in turn, comes from what was written by the prophet Daniel –

“I was watching in the night visions,
And behold, One like the Son of Man,
Coming with the clouds of heaven!
He came to the Ancient of Days,
And they brought Him near before Him.
¹⁴ Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom,
That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion,
Which shall not pass away,
And His kingdom the one
Which shall not be destroyed.” Daniel 7:13-14

Understanding this, John continues with, “and every eye will see Him.” This is seen in the reference of Matthew 24:30 noted already. This terminology, although understandable based on the words, could not be fully grasped until modern times. There is no sense of exclusion, such as “every eye in Jerusalem,” which would then exclude anyone outside of Jerusalem. In other words, it is an all-inclusive statement.

Every eye will view the coming of Christ. But with the world being a globe (yes, the earth is round), and being 24,901 miles in circumference, the thought of every eye actually seeing Christ at His coming would seem otherwise impossible. However, today, every eye can see any event anywhere in the world at the same time. The entire world’s attention will be focused on the coming of Christ in the clouds. Understanding this, John next makes a specific statement, “even they who pierced Him.”

These words would be superfluous unless it is speaking of a specific group of people. In other words, scholars have said that this is a general statement concerning those who have rejected Christ. For example, Vincent’s Word Studies says –

“The expression here refers not to the Jews only, but to all who reject the Son of Man; those who ‘in any age have identified themselves with the Spirit of the Savior’s murderers.’”

This is entirely incorrect. Based on the dispensational model, the rapture will have occurred. Thus, every person on the planet who is left behind will have rejected Christ. Though many will come to Him after the rapture, the majority of the planet will continue in their rejection. Therefore, this is speaking of a particular group within those who have rejected Him. It is a clear and unambiguous reference to Zechariah 12:10 which is referring to the Jewish people –

“And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.”

The words of Zechariah refer to Israel, and it is that passage which John is calling to remembrance for this group. The word translated here as “pierced” is only found elsewhere in John 19:37. There, John is referring to the prophecy of Zechariah – a prophecy directed to Israel. Thus, the fact that this is solely referring to Israel is confirmed by what he next says. By opening the next sentence with “And” it shows that a distinction is made between this group and all other groups on the planet. As he says, “And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him.”

The Jewish nation, Israel, are the people who Christ came to. It is they who rejected Him. Regardless of the fact that the Romans did the actual crucifixion, it was because of Israel’s rejection of Him that it occurred. As it says in Mark 14 –

“Again the high priest asked Him, saying to Him, ‘Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?”
⁶² Jesus said, “I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.’” Mark 14:61, 62

This is an important point clearly demonstrating that the words of John of Revelation are not directed only to Israel. They rejected Christ. Rather, the words are directed to the seven Gentile churches who had received Him. Thus, the claim of hyperdispensationalists that the seven letters to the seven churches are written to a Jewish audience are shown to be completely false. John’s clear separation of the categories here demonstrates this.

What is written starting in Revelation 4 is written about Israel, but not to Israel. As a nation, their understanding of the events which will be foretold will come at the end of the tribulation, not at the beginning. It is the church to whom the book is written. That will continue to be seen as the seven letters to the seven churches are evaluated.

For now, the note that “all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him” is also based on Jesus’ words of Matthew 24:30 which are cited above. There will be a difference in mourning, however.

The purpose of the seven years of tribulation is to bring Israel into the New Covenant (see Daniel 9:24-27). When they are shattered as a people, and when there is no hope left for them, they will finally call out to the One they have rejected. When they call to Him as Lord (meaning Yehovah), He will manifest Himself to the world. Jesus says this explicitly –

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! ³⁸ See! Your house is left to you desolate; ³⁹ for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’” Matthew 23:37-39

The mourning of Israel will be one of horror mingled with joy. They will mourn that they had rejected Him for two thousand years, but they will rejoice that He has come to save them. The mourning of the world will be of horror that they had followed the antichrist and that their condemnation is now coming. The few who make it through the tribulation, having rejected the mark of the beast, will be the sheep. They will be separated from the goats. This is referred to by Christ Jesus in Matthew 25:32, 33.

John finishes the verse with, “Even so, Amen.” It is a note of acceptance. Understanding that the world is heading into what will be described in the chapters ahead; grasping the weight of the pain, suffering and death which they record; and contemplating what this means for the future of masses of unredeemed humanity, John acknowledges that it is what is just and right.

Life application: Behold! John’s word today brings excitement to the believer, hope to Israel, and woe to those who have rejected or fought against the truth. Revelation is a book of severe warning of the consequences of rejecting God’s offer of salvation.

This then is not a happy reunion with people who have longed for His return. Instead, it is the King of the universe come to inflict punishment upon those who have rejected Him, aligned themselves against Israel, and have filled up to the highest measure the wrath of God in themselves. The world which has come against their Creator will face Him for judgment.

If you are not in Christ, this will be your lot. Make the choice today to call out to Him for salvation. He has been patient with the world, but someday – probably soon – the time for this dispensation to end will come. Be ready. Be in Christ!

Lord Jesus, we long for Your coming and Your gathering together the faithful of the ages at the rapture. But we understand that for those who are left behind, times of great woe and tragedy are coming. Please make us to be useful tools of bringing the message of salvation now, before that time comes. Your word is written and will come to pass. May we act now! Amen.

Tuesday, 18 August 2020

…and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Revelation 1:6

As is the case throughout Revelation, and which will be noted from time to time, various Greek manuscripts will read somewhat differently. It is hard to be dogmatic over which reading is correct, but normally the variations are not too great.

An example of this is found here. Some manuscripts say, “and has made us kings and priests.” Others say, “and has made us a kingdom of priests.” In this case, the latter is more likely. Vincent’s Word Studies notes that the term “king” is never applied in the New Testament to individuals Christians. That is, obviously, an argument from silence, but it is at least worthy of note. Vincent’s goes on to say that –

“Kingdom describes the body of the redeemed collectively. Priests indicates their individual position. Peter observes the same distinction (1 Peter 2:5) in the phrases living stones (individuals) and a spiritual house (the body collectively), and combines both kings and priests in another collective term, royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9). The priesthood of believers grows out of the priesthood of Christ (Psalm 60:4; Zechariah 6:13; Hebrews 7-10).”

There have already been several such differences in the first five verses of Revelation which have not been highlighted. This commentary follows the texts from which the NKJV is derived, but it is still worthy to note such differences from time to time. With this understanding, the words of this verse – words which continue the doxology that began in verse 5 – now state, “and has made us kings [a kingdom] and priests.”

One of the errors of the heretical doctrine of hyperdispensationalism is the claim that the terminology here, and throughout the letters to the seven churches, cannot apply to the church due to its “Jewish” symbolism. That will continue to be addressed as the commentaries continue, but one of such terms is claimed to be right here in this verse. It is argued that it is the Jews, not the Gentiles, who are labeled as “priests.” Further, it is argued that the “kingdom” terminology applies only to Jews. They say that Paul refers to neither in his writings, but rather Peter, the apostle to the Jews, does. For example –

“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;” 1 Peter 2:9

Peter is quoting the book of Exodus –

“‘Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. ⁶ And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.” Exodus 19:5, 6

Hyperdispensationalism claims there are two gospels, one to the Jews and one to the Gentiles, and they use these verses as an attempt to show that there are also two bodies based on their heretical teachings. But both of these claims are false. The idea of being kings or a kingdom permeates Paul’s writings, the term “kingdom” being applied to believers almost fifteen times. It would be rather inane to have a kingdom without a King.

Further, the idea of being priests is not limited to the Jewish people and a Jewish kingdom. Paul uses the term in the book of Romans, saying –

“But I have written very boldly to you on some points so as to remind you again, because of the grace that was given me from God, ¹⁶ to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, ministering as a priest the gospel of God, so that my offering of the Gentiles may become acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:15, 16 (NASB)

Paul shows that preaching the gospel is a priestly duty in the New Covenant. He then says this to those at Corinth –

“Do you not know that those who minister the holy things eat of the things of the temple, and those who serve at the altar partake of the offerings of the altar? ¹⁴ Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel.” 1 Corinthians 9:13

Again, Paul directly equates preachers of the gospel to the priests who ministered in the temple under the Old Covenant, demonstrating that they were only types of what would come in the New Covenant. The word “serve” in that quote (Greek: hieros) signifies the sacred duty of a priest.

The sources of the problems with these heretical teachings are many, including 1) using only one translation of the Bible (normally the highly inaccurate KJV) to support the incorrect interpretations, 2) a failure to know and understand the purpose of the Old Testament symbolism and how it points to both Christ and the church, and 3) simple antisemitism.

These are but a few of the reasons for the incorrect theology. Understanding this, John’s words are, in fact, based on the quote (above) from Exodus 19. The Lord said that Israel would be a special treasure unto Him. The term Hebrew word translated as “special treasure” is segulah. It denotes personal property. That is now said of those in the church.

What is happening here is that the Gentiles who were once excluded from the covenant promises “have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” (See Ephesians 2:11-13). Together, the believers of all ages are built into a spiritual temple, and our duties and offices come from God’s selection of us, not from genealogy or family inheritance. Rather, it is because of our faith in Jesus Christ.

This body, the kingdom of priests, is said to be “to His God and Father.” Christ is the King (1 Timothy 1:17) of His people, and He is also the High Priest (Hebrews 2:17, etc.) of His people. It is Christ who performs the priestly mediatorial duty between His people and His Father (1 Timothy 2:5). He is the fulfillment of all of the types and shadows of those things found under the Old Covenant, and His work extends beyond the Jewish people to include the Gentiles who have been grafted into the commonwealth of Israel (Ephesians 2:12,1 13).

Understanding this, and the majestic implications for the people of the world, John continues with, “to Him be glory.” The same phrase is ascribed to God the Father and to Jesus elsewhere in the New Testament. Here, it is applied to Jesus, demonstrating that John is equating Jesus with God. This is because in Isaiah, the Lord (Yehovah) says, “My glory I will not give to another” (Isaiah 42:8).

For John to ascribe this to Jesus, if He were not God, would be blasphemy. Understanding this, John’s words indicate that all things came from God, all things belong to God, and all things are to bring glory to God. It is He who accomplished all the work necessary for our salvation, and it is He who has then guaranteed that the saints will rise and live forever in His presence. He alone is sovereign over all things, and it is right that all things are to be done by us to bring Him all of the glory that He is due.

The verse finishes with, “and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” This same dominion terminology is used in 1 Peter 4:11 and 1 Peter 5:11. It is Jesus Christ to whom the praises shall never end. In Him, the marvel shall never cease. And because of Him, the awe at beholding the incomprehensible greatness of God will never get old.

From Him flows an eternal stream of delight and majesty. In the new heavens and the new earth, we shall behold this with our eyes, and the praises of God will know no end. And it was all made possible by His own wisdom and splendor, displayed in the most amazing way of all –

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. ¹⁶ For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. ¹⁷ And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. ¹⁸ And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.” Colossians 1:15-18

Life application: God is taking for Himself a collection of humans to be for His praise and glory. We serve Him as a kingdom of priests. Now, through the blood of Christ, all have access “through the veil” and into the Most Holy Place (Hebrews 10:19).

Jesus Christ is both our King (a kingdom without a king makes no sense) and our High Priest. We will serve under Him as a kingdom of “kings and priests to His God and Father.” Understanding the terminology and how it applies to both Jews and Gentiles, it is obvious that hyperdispensationalism is a heretical teaching. Be careful not to get pulled into such erroneous doctrine. There is one gospel to both Jew and Gentile.

Understanding this, and because we have been so chosen as a kingdom of priests, let us forever ascribe to the Lord His worth and let us forever praise His glorious name. Amen!

Lord God, it is beyond our comprehension that You would look at us and find us worthy to serve in Your kingdom. We know that it is only through Jesus and His work that this is possible. And so, may we rise each day in praise of what You have done, giving You glory, honor, and adoration for Your gracious hand upon us. You alone who are worthy. Amen.

Monday, 17 August 2020

… and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth.
To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, Revelation 1:5

Still in his opening salutation, a salutation which is intended to convey grace and peace to the reader, and which began in the previous verse, John now comes to his portion of the greeting which pertains to the Son, saying, “and from Jesus Christ.” Placing the Son last in the greeting is John’s way of aligning Him with what he will next say concerning the Son. From verse 5, through verse 8, the words will refer to the Person of Jesus Christ.

In this, he begins with a threefold description of Him, beginning with the note that He is “the faithful witness.” The expression refers back to the 89^th Psalm, a psalm which is clearly messianic in nature –

“If his sons forsake My law
And do not walk in My judgments,
³¹ If they break My statutes
And do not keep My commandments,
³² Then I will punish their transgression with the rod,
And their iniquity with stripes.
³³ Nevertheless My lovingkindness I will not utterly take from him,
Nor allow My faithfulness to fail.
³⁴ My covenant I will not break,
Nor alter the word that has gone out of My lips.
³⁵ Once I have sworn by My holiness;
I will not lie to David:
³⁶ His seed shall endure forever,
And his throne as the sun before Me;
³⁷ It shall be established forever like the moon,
Even like the faithful witness in the sky.” Selah Psalm 89:30-37

As the objects in the sky testify to the handiwork of the Creator, so are the promises of God faithful. In His covenant with David, there is the surety that God would fulfill what He had spoken. The coming of Christ is the fulfillment of these promises. The sun is likened unto Christ in Malachi 4:2, speaking of His righteousness.

This term ὁ μάρτυς ὁ πιστός, or “the witness the faithful,” refers to Christ’s testimony, but especially his death. The word martus, or “witness,” is where our word “martyr” comes from. When standing before Pilate, Jesus said –

 “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” John 18:37

John understood that Christ’s life, even to the point of death, was a witness to God’s plan of redemption that had been promised since the very fall of man. Christ Jesus faithfully accomplished His work. In doing so, and without sinning during the process, He became “the firstborn from the dead.”

It is the same expression used by Paul in Colossians 1:18. The Bible is clear that Christ was dead. His human body suffered and died. And more, He was buried. The account carefully details this in order to show that Christ didn’t just appear dead. He was truly dead. And yet, the Bible proclaims that he prevailed over death, coming from the grave on the third day.

The Bible also speaks of others coming from the dead, such as Lazarus in John 11. But these instances are restoration of life, not a resurrection from the dead. The difference is that those people went on to die again. Christ, through the resurrection, has an eternal life. And more, in Him is the ability to grant that life to others. The reason why takes us back to the fact that He is the “faithful witness.”

In His life, He did not sin. As death is the wages of sin, then – as Peter says in Acts 2 – “it was not possible that He should be held by it.” His perfection is testified to by the resurrection. Understanding this, John next mentions, concerning Christ, a third aspect. He is “the ruler over the kings of the earth.”

In the accomplishment of His work, faithfully testifying to the Lord’s hand in it, and as is evidenced by His resurrection, the Lord God placed Christ Jesus in the position of all authority and rule. This is seen in Jesus’ words of Matthew 28, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.” Frequently, Acts and the epistles state that Christ is now at the right hand of God. The right hand signifies not a physical position, but rather rule and authority.

All rule and authority belong to Him. John focuses on the earthly rule here, showing that what is coming in the book of Revelation is not out of the control of God, but that it is judgment by God upon the earth. This idea of Christ’s faithful witness, His being the firstborn from the dead, and His possessing the power of God, is also seen in Paul’s words to those in Rome –

“…concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, ⁴ and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.” Romans 1:3, 4

This threefold note concerning Jesus corresponds to His three positions of Prophet (witness), High Priest (atoning death), and King (ruler over the kings of the earth). These positions will be noted throughout the book of Revelation. John next continues with a note concerning the first and second positions, that of faithful witness and High Priest. From here, through verse 6, the words form a beautiful doxology, beginning with, “To Him who loved us.”

John 3:16 speaks of God so loving the world that He gave His only begotten Son. Christ is that Son, and He is the faithful witness of God’s love, living out a perfect life and giving that perfect life up in exchange for our wrongdoing. In this act, John continues, saying, “and washed us from our sins in His own blood.”

The Old Testament, and the book of Leviticus in particular, details the sacrificial system of Israel – all of which is a type and picture of what Christ would accomplish for His people. The animal had to be perfect and without blemish. It was then presented to the high priest where it was slaughtered in exchange for the sins committed by an individual, or even by the entire congregation. Without the shedding of innocent blood, atonement could not be made.

However, the book of Hebrews says that “it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins” (Hebrews 10:4). The sacrificial system of Israel was given to prefigure Christ. Only in a like for like exchange could atonement be made. But it had to be a perfect offering. Thus, Peter says –

“And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; ¹⁸ knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, ¹⁹ but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” 1 Peter 1:17-19

Christ is the fulfillment of those ancient types and shadows. It is He alone who could wash “us from our sins in His own blood.” The idea of washing signifies total cleansing. The sinner is made pure in the precious blood of Jesus Christ. The defilement is rinsed away, reconciliation with the Creator is made, and peace between the warring parties has ceased.

Life application: Jesus is the complete expression of God in a form that we can understand. He declared, or revealed, to us the Father that was otherwise unknowable except through creation. This encompasses His entire life, death, and resurrection. Being fully man, He was able to suffer and die, which He did. But because of His sinlessness, death could not hold Him. In His resurrection, Jesus proved that He was not a created being, but the Heir of creation. He is the incarnate Word of God. He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords.

In John 13:10, on the night of His crucifixion, Christ Jesus used two different words for washing, saying, “He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean.” the bath represents justification, or being declared “not guilty.” The word translated as “wash” indicates our sanctification. As we sin after salvation, we confess it and are cleansed from that sin; a sin that doesn’t affect salvation, but rather our on-going relationship.

Thus, the doctrine of eternal salvation is seen in what Christ did for His people. We are cleansed, once and forever, of our sins. Let us then wash ourselves daily from the external defilement that we incur so that we will be acceptable instruments, ready for service to our God.

Lord God, thank You for what you have done in the Person of Jesus Christ. He is the full expression of Your infinite being, an expression of You in a body and a form that we can comprehend and appreciate as He reveals You to us for all eternity! Thank You, O God, for sending Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to lead us back to Yourself. Praises and glory belong to You forever and ever. Amen.