There Is None Like Him

B. The Great Declaration by Him. (Vv. 17-18)

When John fell before Jesus as a dead man, I am not sure if this was his way of saying that he had fainted after seeing the revealed Christ. The Scriptures tell us that he fell “as dead.” Whatever happened happened because of John’s fear. He collapsed, he fell, but the Lord told John that he was not to be afraid. God took His strong powerful right hand and laid it upon John. Can you imagine what that was like? Can you but imagine how it felt to have been touched this way by glorified Deity, to be touched by God?

It is the powerful touch of God that casts out fear. In a Spiritual sense, it is comforting to feel the touch of God upon your life. I certainly desire God’s hand upon my life and I sincerely desire the hand of God upon this church. It makes all the difference in the world to have God’s touch upon your life.

1. He declared His coming from the dead. (Vv. 17-18a)

The one speaking to John is the same One that he wrote about in his Gospel in John 11:25, 26. “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live; And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die, Believest thou this?”

Not only is Christ the resurrection and the Life, He is the one who was dead, but is “alive for evermore.” The grave could not hold Him. He was letting John know that it was not time for him to die, but to write the Revelation Prophecy. Had not the Lord comforted John in this way, John could have become very much afraid because of what he was going to witness. The thing that John witnessed could have really scared him to death. Yet, the laying of God’s right hand upon him must have made an indelible impression that would remain in hi memory for a very long time while at the same time bringing him the comfort and the peace that he so desperately needed.

2. He declared His conquering of death. (Vv. 18b)

Keys lock and unlock. Christ holds the key that unlocks the gate called death. For this reason, the Scriptures tell us that it is appointed unto man once to die, and after death the judgment. God has the key to that appointed day. He also has the key to the gates of hell. The symbolism of the key paints the picture of someone holding that key and him using the key at his discretion. To illustrate this, when I have the key to my automobile I determine when and how that vehicle is to be used. The Lord is simply letting John know that death and hell is under His control.

When the enemy surrounds me, I need not fear, because I am going to be here until God is through with me. He was letting John know the same. I believe that it was John R. Rice who when preaching against the liquor crowd was told that if he continued that he was going to be shot and killed. John R. Rice answered the person that threatened him, “You don’t frighten me when you threaten me with heaven!”

C. The Great Directive from Him. (Vv. 19-20)

John was commissioned to write what the Lord wanted him to write. There was no reluctance on the part of John. What he was to write about would cover the entire church age and then record the time of Great Tribulation. After the Great Tribulation, John would tell about the second coming of the Lord when He fights the Battle of Armageddon. He will write concerning the thousand year reign during the kingdom Age to be followed by the Battle of Gog and Magog. He will show the doom of Satan, the beast, and the false prophet. There will be much more in addition to this in which John will be writing.