IN THE WORD DAILY
with Brother Rick
Revelation 1: 5
And
from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the
dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us and
washed us from our sins in his own blood.
We will finish our
devotional journey through the Bible on Wednesday, New Years Eve. As we finish
up in the final book of the Bible, we could possibly stay here for months, but
for times sake we will focus on several major topics. We know through the study
of the apostle John, that he was exiled to the isle of Patmos
for preaching the gospel. John was the last of the 12 apostles to survive as
the church was persecuted severely in these days. God allowed John to see the
events that would take place in the end times. The book includes Christ's
directions to His churches. We see Christ as the slain and risen Lamb. We see
the judgments of the coming tribulation period on earth, which is a display of
the wrath of the Lamb. We see the return of Christ to earth and His Millennial
reign. And we also see the new heavens and the new earth in the last chapters.
God leaves nothing to the imagination. We know how the story ends. This being
said, we have no excuse. Every Bible believer should give thanks today for what
Jesus has already done, and for what he is going to do.
The Revelation of Jesus
Christ begins with the salutation which gives the main theme of the book as
well and the main theme for the entire Bible. Notice in the text that John
gives three titles to the Lord Jesus, First, Jesus is the “faithful
witness”. Christ came to this earth to bear witness to the Father.
Jesus says in John 17: 4, “I have glorified thee on the earth: I have
finished the work which thou gavest me to do.” Jesus also says in
verses 25, 26, “O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I
have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. And I have
declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou
hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.” Christ is the faithful
witness.
Secondly, John reveals
Christ as, “The first begotten of the dead”. 1 Corinthians 15:
54- 57 says, “So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption,
and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the
saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy
sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the
strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory
through our Lord Jesus Christ.” We have eternal life through Jesus
Christ. We are overcomers through Jesus Christ. We have victorious over death,
hell and the grave through Jesus Christ. Romans 8: 36, 37 says, “As it is
written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep
for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through
him that loved us.” Our eternal life is secure.
Lastly, John gives the Lord
the title of, “The prince of the kings of the earth.” Jesus is
preeminent and Jesus is Lord. Philippians 2: 9- 11 says, “Wherefore God
also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and
things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should
confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Jesus
is the King of kings and the Lord of lords.
John gives these titles to
the Lord Jesus for one reason and one reason only. Jesus is worthy, Jesus
deserves the praise. Look at the verse. Jesus bought the right to be preeminent
because he washed our sins in his own blood. We owe Jesus our lives. In
response to this great sacrifice, Paul give us our duty as followers of Christ.
Romans 12: 1 says, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of
God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God,
which is your reasonable service.”
Give it all to Jesus, He
gave it all for us.
