Take a moment to think about your possessions. What’s the first item that comes to your mind? What is the most enduring tangible thing you own? How long will it last? For your lifetime, for your child’s lifetime? But what will happen to it eventually, at the end of time as we know it?
In 2 Peter 3:10, we’re told, “The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.” If even the basic elements are destroyed, nothing tangible will survive. In contrast, we have this testimony from Jesus in Matthew 24:35: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.”
Further, the Psalmist stated, “Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven.” To be settled means to be established, to be fixed, to be immovable, to be permanently secured. That is the nature of God’s Word. There are many other verses we could cite that speak to the veracity and permanence of the Word of God. That is why, as Christ-followers, we can have absolute confidence that we truly have “A Word from God.” That is the title of my teaching this time.
In the opening verses of the Book of Revelation, John is writing a letter to seven churches in Asia Minor. There were more assemblies of Believers in this region, but these seven represent the whole. This is the first use of the number seven in the Book of Revelation. Throughout Scripture —from Genesis to Revelation —the number seven occurs more than 700 times and is associated with perfection and God’s covenant. Here, in this last book of the Bible, the number seven constitutes the numeric base structure of the letter.
However, John is not the author of this letter to these seven churches; he is simply the writer through whom the message is transmitted. Our text for this episode, Revelation 1:4-8, makes this fact abundantly clear. (Listen carefully as I read the text, Revelation 1:4-8. See if you can detect the essential aspects of this word from God as it is given to John.)
John’s opening statements clearly reveal that his message to the churches is “A Word from God.” On that basis, we will explore the essential ASPECTS of that word.
The First ASPECT (of this word from God) is,
It’s Authority
After greeting his readers with grace and peace, John immediately appeals to a higher authority as the source of that grace and peace. While these words were a standard greeting (see Paul’s letters), I believe John attached significant meaning to them. Remember, he’s writing to assemblies of Believers scattered across Asia Minor that are experiencing severe persecution.
In this greeting, he references the authority and eternality of God as “the One who was, who is, and who is to come.” Each of these formal titles for God is treated as a proper name. The third title, “The Coming One,” is the keynote of this letter, the Second Coming of the Son.
This coupling of these three descriptions is an allusion to God’s four-letter name in Hebrew – YHWH. I said in a previous episode that I believe John received this revelation from God in Hebrew. In Exodus 3:14, God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” In the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament, God is recorded as saying, “I am He who IS.” He is self-existent; He is dependent on nothing or anyone! So, for someone reading this letter in Greek but thinking in Hebrew, the connection was obvious.
This grace and peace are also resident in the seven spirits that are before God’s throne. Again, the number seven. This is likely God’s way of affirming the Spirit’s completeness. God’s omniscience is represented in the seven spirits, which are (presently and continually) before Him. These are not to be confused with the seven angels of the churches that appear in verse 20 of this chapter. In this book of Revelation, angels are NEVER referred to as spirits.
As the final aspect of the authority by which he writes, John introduces Jesus into the text. Incidentally, we don’t have time to explore this now, but I encourage you to read Psalm 89 in light of verses 4 and 5 in the text we’re examining. I think you’ll find the connections fascinating. Notice the multi-fold description of the Messiah.
He is not just a witness, He is the faithful witness. This concept is taken directly from the Torah and is connected to the number seven. In Hebrew, the word for oath is shevuah, and the number seven is shivah. Jesus is the perfect, trustworthy witness. Witness of what? A witness to the things written in this book. Jesus’ prophetic ministry is clearly seen.
Further, He is the firstborn from the dead, or as Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:20, the firstfruits of those who have died. The concept of resurrection is implicit in the Jewish feast of firstfruits. This represents His priestly ministry. “Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.” Romans 8:34. Intercession is the role of a priest.
Finally, His ministry as King is described as the ruler of the kings of the earth. Think about it, isn’t this what Satan offered Jesus in the wilderness during His temptation? He showed Jesus all the kingdoms of the world and said, “I’ll give you all these if you bow down and worship me.” As we know, Jesus refused Satan’s offer. By His obedience to the Father, Jesus won by His resurrection what Satan offered to Him by surrender. God said of Jesus in Psalm 89:27, “Also I will make him My firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth.” John highlights that key fact.
These descriptions of Jesus’ ministry seem to reinforce the promises God made to David in 2 Samuel 7 regarding an eternal kingdom. This Word comes to us with the full authority and sanction of the Triune God.
Another ASPECT (of this word from God) is,
It’s Application
Since the Godhead is eternal and sovereign over all, how does that truth apply to us? How does it affect us?
The fourth description of the Messiah is “the one who loves us.” Everything that follows in this book is based on that divine attribute. And how did He demonstrate that love? “He has freed us from our sins by his blood.” This is the Gospel in one sentence! Some manuscripts say He washed us from our sins; that idea is also biblical. We are forgiven, we are released from bondage to sin; we have been bathed and ransomed. Hallelujah! A.T. Roberston points out a change of verb tenses at the end of verse 5. The washing, the redemption, is once for all. The love of the Father is continuing. That is a precious thought to meditate on.
As a result of our being set free from sin, He has appointed us, collectively, as a kingdom of Believers, as priests, serving His God and Father. Peter writes about this. “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.”
The kingdom is collective, the priesthood is individual. One of the distinctive teachings of the early Anabaptists during the Reformation was the concept of the priesthood of all Believers. The state church said, “No, only a select group can be priests.” The Anabaptists rejected that based on 1 Peter 2:9.
The reign of the saints is emphasized in this book. Every Believer has direct access to God. The fullest expression of this idea appears in Revelation 21:22. “But I saw no temple in it (Heaven), for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.” Now, we can only grasp these things, as Paul says, “in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.” I have little conception of what it means to worship Christ face-to-face and to know Him completely, but I accept this promise by faith.
Such a majestic description of the victorious Christ calls forth a glorious doxology. To Him be glory and dominion forever and ever (unto the ages of ages = eternity)! This spontaneous burst of acclimation arises because “The multifaceted greatness of Jesus Christ eventually results in the glory and power of His God and Father.”[1] Though the Son and the Father are distinct, somehow, they are so connected that they cannot always be easily distinguished.
Because Jesus fulfills each of these ministries —prophet, priest, and king —He alone is worthy of all worship. By His authority, He has fully honored His character and Word by the application of His love to our hearts.
The New Testament writers make it clear that salvation and all its effects in this life are only a down payment of what is to come. Paul highlights this truth in Ephesians 1:13-14. “In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, whois the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.”
Now, notice what comes next. “Look, He is coming with clouds!” Clouds are often associated with the Lord’s presence. Remember how the cloud of Shekinah glory enveloped the mountain at Sinai. The cloudy pillar accompanied God’s people, Israel, throughout their wilderness wanderings. When Solomon dedicated the Temple, the Shekinah glory filled the Temple to the extent that the priests couldn’t enter it. And clouds enveloped Jesus and the three disciples on the Mount of Transfiguration.
Remember, too, when Jesus left this earth, His followers were given an explicit promise. “Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.” Acts 1:9-11.
Interestingly, verses 6 and 7 of our text introduce two biblical prophecies: one triumphant, the other, tragic. Jewish literature of John’s time had Son of Man traditions based on Daniel 7. Later in Jewish history, the sages of the Talmud understood these two distinctly different prophecies. They concluded that there must be two Messiahs. The author of Revelation combines the seemingly hard-to-reconcile concepts of the Messiah into one person. Jesus, the Messiah, has come, He has suffered, and will yet claim His full glory.
In Daniel’s vision in chapter 7, we read, “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. 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 is the one which shall not be destroyed.” This is the triumph. In my introduction to this study in a previous episode, I said that understanding Daniel’s prophecy is critical to understanding the Book of Revelation.
John continues, “Every eye will see him, even those who pierced him,” and all peoples on earth will mourn because of him.” Let’s compare that with Zechariah 12:10. “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.” This is the tragedy.
The statement that every eye will see Him denotes physical sight, but it emphasizes the mental discernment that accompanies sight. It points to the result of seeing, not just the act. When Jesus appears in the clouds, all who have rejected Him will have their spiritual discernment awakened by His appearance, causing them to mourn for their foolishness and their sin.
In my understanding of 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12, the event described in our text cannot be the Rapture. Only those who are looking for Christ to return will see Him then (Hebrews 9:28). This is an apparent reference to the Second Coming of Christ as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Within Christendom, the majority view is that all the peoples of the world will mourn over the pierced Messiah. However, if this is an allusion to Zechariah 12:10, that text mentions explicitly the tribes of Israel. One supporting argument for that understanding is that the word “earth,” used here, is not the standard Hebrew designation for the planet but the specific term, eretz, for the Land of Israel. Whether this is specific to the Jews or includes all unbelievers, their grief will be loud and demonstrative as they realize what they’ve done. “So shall it be, Amen!”
The Word of God, with its singular authority, changes us from sinners to saints and promises us a future fulfillment of God’s promises. That is the application of this Word from God.
The Final ASPECT (of this word from God) is,
It’s Affirmation
Affirmation is primarily a positive statement of encouragement or a declaration of truth with firm conviction. That is precisely what we have in verse 8. Try to imagine the encouragement and blessing these statements would have brought to John’s readers in the midst of suffering!
“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” The alpha and omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet that correspond with the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Similar statements are found in Revelation 21:6 and 22:13 with additional emphasis. “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” 21:6. “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last,” 22:13.
While we often refer to Jesus as the Alpha and Omega, the only one of the three that clearly refers to Jesus is the one in chapter 22, because He says in verse 16, “I Jesus, have sent my angel to testify of these things.” However, in this final verse, the Lord God declares that He is the Alpha and Omega. Let’s not get tied up in knots over this, but let’s realize that there is mystery in the Godhead. While God the Father and God the Son are distinct, they are yet One.
The final adjective used at the end of verse 8 to describe God is “the Almighty.” The only other occurrence of this word in the New Testament, outside the Book of Revelation, is in 2 Corinthians 6:18. “Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.” The sovereignty and eternality of God affirm or guarantee the prophecies just made and those that follow.
Yes, when we accept God’s love and He sets us free from sin, we are separated from sin and are adopted into His family. That prepares us for the time when Jesus comes again to gather to Himself all those who have put their faith in Him, taken up the cross, and become His disciples. Until then, we wait, we watch, and we work.
If you are not ready for these events, today is the day of salvation!
[1] Eli Eyzenberg and Pinchas Shir, Hebrew Insights from Revelation, p. 38
