The first chapter of Revelation starts off with a blessing. "Blessed is he who reads and hears the words of this prophecy." We're then reminded that Jesus Christ is coming on the clouds and that every eye will see Him...even those who pierced Him. The tribes and nations of the earth will mourn because of Him. We're told that Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning, and the End, who was, who is, and who is to come, the Almighty. Jesus was there at the beginning of time, and he will be there at the end of time.
John is in the Spirit on the Lord's Day when he hears a loud voice like that of a trumpet saying, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last," and "What you see write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea." When John hears the voice, he turns to see one like the Son of Man standing in the mist of the seven golden lampstands. But what really shocks John is the appearance of Jesus in all His glory.
The last time John saw Jesus, it was when He was ascending to heaven after His resurrection. But this Jesus John sees isn't the Jesus he remembers. This Jesus is in His true state; the state He is in today. Jesus is wearing a garment to His feet with a gold band around His chest. His head and hair are white as wool and white as snow. His eyes are like flames of fire and His feet are like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters. He had in His hand seven stars and out of His mouth went a sharp two ended sword and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.
Wow! Can you imagine the shock John feels seeing His Savior like this? Can you imagine the shock of the world when they finally see Him? For centuries, artists have painted and drawn their own versions of Jesus. Movie producers have had actors portray Jesus according to those paintings. As you can see from the Bible's description of Jesus, the image of Jesus we grew up with isn't accurate. Here on earth, Jesus is portrayed as a man with long flowing hair, a frail build with a feminine look, and looks very different from the other Jews. That's not accurate at all. Jesus isn't a weak being. He's a powerful, awesome, strong God. His white hair symbolizes glory. His eyes flame with conviction, love, justice, and truth. He is in fact a consuming fire according to Hebrews 12:29. His voice can shake the earth and universe at its very foundations. The sharp two ended sword coming out of His mouth is the Word of God.
According to Hebrews 4:12, the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any two-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints, and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. When Jesus was being tempted by the devil in the wilderness, Jesus used the Word of God to not only fight him but defeat him. And His countenance like the sun shining in its strength goes beyond our imaginations. In the presence of Jesus, a person in their flesh won't be able to look at Him because of the brightness of His glory. Therefore, we need to have glorified bodies so we can withstand His glory. 1 Corinthians 15:42-53 Otherwise, we will be consumed.
It's no wonder that John falls as though he were dead. Anybody would fall if they encountered the Lord in His glorified state. Jesus lays His right hand on him and says, "Do not be afraid, I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death. Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this. The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches."
When Jesus died, He went into Hell and took the keys of Death and Hell from Satan. By rising again, Jesus showed that not only is He the Son of God, but that He has power over hell, death, and the grave. I Corinthians 15:55-57 says, "O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."
The kingdom of hell thought they won when Jesus was crucified. I'm sure they rejoiced when Jesus breathed His last breath. What a shock it was for them when they found out that they have been defeated! Glory to God! Since that time, the enemy has been doing everything in his power to discredit the crucifixion; even going far enough to deceive people into saying either Jesus died a different way or that He never died in the first place. But here is the truth. Jesus IS the Son of God. He came to earth, lived a sinless life while preaching the word of God and performing miracles. He died on the Cross, was buried in a borrowed tomb, and on the third day rose again. He ascended into heaven after forty days and is one day coming back again for His Church. That is the truth!
