Jesus is also portrayed as the commander of all the rulers of the world—an all-powerful King, victorious in battle, glorious in peace. Satan had tried to tempt Jesus with an offer of ruling all the nations of the world if Jesus would bow and worship him (Matthew 4:8–9). Jesus refused and, through obedience to God through death on the cross, gained ultimate leadership. Psalm 89:27 says, "I will make him my firstborn son, the mightiest king on earth" (nlt). Jesus was not just a humble earthly teacher; he is the glorious God. When he returns, he will be recognized for who he really is. Then, "at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Philippians 2:10–11 nlt).
| WORDS OF TRUTH We live in a day of conflicting claims for various religions (they can't all be true), and the desire to be tolerant of all others (if it's true for you, it's true). Yet how do we as Christians determine what we believe? We regard Jesus Christ as our faithful witness (1:4–5). He is the only religious leader who has risen from the dead. So when you read John's description of the vision, keep in mind that his words are not just good advice; they are truth from the King of kings. Don't just read his words for their interesting and amazing portrayal of the future. Let the truth about Christ penetrate your life, deepen your faith in him, and strengthen your commitment to follow him—no matter what the cost. |
1:5b–6 To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen. NIV This doxology concludes the prologue to this book. John was writing to believers experiencing persecution; yet he assured them that Jesus not only continuously cared for and loved them but also had set them free, no matter how they might feel. Jesus had set them free from their sins by his blood, that is, through his death on the cross. Through that blood, he had made his people to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father. Israel had been called to be "a kingdom of priests, [a] holy nation" (Exodus 19:6 nlt). This saying describes the Christians as the continuation of the Old Testament people of God—his kingdom and priests (see also Hebrews 13:15; 1 Peter 2:5, 9). Together believers make up a kingdom of which Christ is their King; individually they are priests because each has direct access to God because of the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. Their whole purpose, of course, is to serve God.
The doxology ends with words of praise: to him be glory and power for ever and ever! "Amen" means "let it be so."
1:7 Look! He comes with the clouds of heaven. And everyone will see him—even those who pierced him. And all the nations of the earth will weep because of him. Yes! Amen! NLT Jesus will indeed have "glory and power for ever and ever" (1:6 niv)—the book of Revelation describes that day when he will return to earth. That Jesus will come with the clouds of heaven summarizes the message of Revelation. When Jesus ascended into heaven, "he was taken up into the sky … and he disappeared into a cloud" (Acts 1:9 nlt; see also Luke 24:50–51). An angel had told the astonished disciples, "Jesus has been taken away from you into heaven. And someday, just as you saw him go, he will return" (Acts 1:11 nlt). The imagery of coming in the clouds is probably a military picture, alluding to the clouds of dust kicked up by the war chariots, the ultimate war machines in ancient times. When Christ is pictured this way, he is coming as the ultimate Victor and conquering King (see also Daniel 7:13).
| STAR WITNESS Many hesitate to witness about their faith in Christ because they don't think the change in their lives has been spectacular enough. But you qualify as a witness for Jesus because of what he has done for you, not because of what you have done for him. Christ is seen through the whole book of Revelation as the Lamb who was slain. He demonstrated his great love by setting his people free from their sins through his death on the cross ("freed us from our sins by his blood"), guaranteeing them a place in his kingdom, and making them priests to administer God's love to others. The fact that the all-powerful God has offered eternal life to you is nothing short of spectacular. Testify about his wonderful gift! |
Jesus' second coming will be visible and victorious. Everyone will see him arrive (Mark 13:26), and they will know it is Jesus. When Christ returns, he will conquer evil and will judge all people according to their deeds (Revelation 20:11–15).
Even those who pierced him will see him. "Those who pierced him" could refer to the Roman soldiers who pierced Jesus' side as he hung on the cross, but it probably refers to the Jews who were responsible for his death (see Acts 2:22–23; 3:14–15). John saw Jesus' death with his own eyes, and he never forgot the horror of it (see John 19:34–35). Zechariah had written, "Then I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the family of David and on all the people of Jerusalem. They will look on me whom they have pierced and mourn for him as for an only son. They will grieve bitterly for him as for a firstborn son who has died" (Zechariah 12:10 nlt). In Zechariah the twelve tribes mourned because of their sin. Here, however, all people across the ages who have rejected Christ have themselves "pierced" him through their indifference to his sacrifice on their behalf. All the nations of the earth—both Jews and Gentiles—will weep because of him. They will mourn because they know they will be facing God and his judgment and will be destroyed.
1:8 "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty." NIV Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. The Lord God is the beginning and the end. God the Father is the eternal Lord and Ruler of the past, present, and future (see also 4:8; Isaiah 44:6; 48:12–15). God is sovereign over history and is in control of everything.
The one who is, and who was, and who is to come is also described in 1:4, the Lord God, who controls present, past, and future.
The phrase "the Almighty" comes out of the Old Testament and conveys military imagery, referring to God as a mighty warrior. The military imagery helped the people in the churches to whom this book was written understand that they had the ultimate Warrior fighting on their side. God rules over all.
God is an infinite circle whose center is everywhere and whose circumference is nowhere.
Augustine of Hippo
REVELATION is a book about the future and about the present. It offers future hope to all believers, especially those who have suffered for their faith. Revelation proclaims Christ's total triumph over evil and the reality of eternal life with him.
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