REVELATION 1: 17-18 JESUS, HIS HAND YOUR COMFORT

REVELATION

A Verse by Verse Study

My own personal journey

"A journey of studying what’s revealed to me!"

Jesus, His Hand, Your Comfort

Revelation 1: 17- And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. ¹⁸ 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.

He Laid His Right Hand on Me

When Jesus laid his hand on John I don’t believe this was in the context of the doctrine of “laying on of hands,” for all the different reasons we practice this in the New Testament Church.  I believe this was in the context of what Jesus said next, “Do not be afraid!” Yes, I know John had fallen down because of the awesomeness of what was happening.  There was Jesus appearing to him!  That same Jesus he had watched ascend into heaven was now back on earth appearing to him.  We’ve described his appearance in other notes so John had every reason to fall on his face!  Jesus laid his hand on him and said, “Do not be afraid!”  When Jesus walks into your living room, there may be at first a tendency to be afraid but when his love overwhelms you, you fear no more!

I don’t believe that was the only reason Jesus appeared to John (to show his awesomeness, make John afraid, and then tell him not to fear!)  I believe (and of course have 22 chapters of proof,) there was more needing to be said.  I also believe there was more to the touch.  I believe this was a comforting touch. In the Old Testament it was identification’s foreshadow.  The person laid their hand on the sacrificial lamb to identify with the one that would be slain.  Jesus was the one slain but here, instead of John identifying with him, he was identifying with John.  He was saying, “I know where you’re at! I’m alive and well and will be for all eternity.”  He was letting John know this wasn’t the end of the story.  Well he also knows where you’re at! He knows your address and this isn’t the end of the story! John was in prison. He had given his all to follow Jesus and it seemed things weren’t ending well.  Jesus was letting John know first of all: the experience was real; second: there was no reason to fear, and third: everything that had happened since John dropped everything to follow Jesus had not been in vain. In fact in our next study we’ll see Jesus telling John to “Write these things!”  He actually had more for John to do when John thought he was through.  You can apply that to your life as well. You may think you’ve done all you can for the kingdom and that your usefulness is through but God has more for you to do. Just as he goes on to tell John to “Write,” there is something he will ask you to do!

Here, Jesus said, “Don’t be afraid; I am the First and the Last.  I am he who lives and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. The Amen here literally means to “Stop and think on that!”  Let’s do that. Let’s stop and think on that!  It’s not over.  Jesus may have come and gone from this earth but he’s alive and well!  The story’s not over. He’s alive forevermore and the most exciting times are in the future! Hey!

If you’re in a place where things haven’t gone as expected, take some time with him today. I’m sure he’ll touch you just as he touched John. Let Jesus lay his hand on you today and comfort you.  Let him tell you, “Don’t be afraid.  I am he who lives and I am with you! I am the first and the last and you’re going to make it to the end of this present trial. It’s a good ending. I have the keys!”  He may also let you know, “The best is yet to come! There are exciting days ahead!” “Look to the horizon and you will see we will share an eternity of awesomeness!”  In fact he told John, “I am alive forevermore!” Wow! We have forever ahead of us! 

He Knows “The End” From “The Beginning”

For the body of Christ, that’s good news.  It’s not necessarily good news to those who won’t accept him.  There’s more to this story. We may have reached a climax but we haven’t reached the end.  For those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, there’s a good ending.  Just as in most books you can turn to the last page and know the end before you reach it, so we have been given the bible and we can know the end from the beginning!  Believe me, God knows!

Isaiah 46:9, 10  Remember the former things of old,
For I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like Me,
¹⁰ Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things that are not yet done,
Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand,
And I will do all My pleasure,’

God clearly does know the end from the beginning. If any of us were to look back on our lives, we would see that any time we received a sure Word from God it came to pass.  Many things God has told us have not come to pass but if he said it, it will come to pass!  So it is with the end times. It will end just as the back of the book says.

In light of that, I believe the hand on John was a hand of comfort.  When you are troubled, there’s nothing like a friend just laying their hand on you.  Somehow it takes away the fear and some of the pain.  Jesus was letting John know that even though he was in prison, the story wasn’t over.  Think on that. John is in prison no more! He’s in glory. At the time the hand was laid on him, he was still exiled but now at this moment he’s with Jesus before the throne of God!

You may be in the midst of your greatest trial but if you’re in the midst, you haven’t reached the end.  John was in the middle of his trial but now it’s over and the ending was good.  God has a hope and a future for you too! He has good plans for you just as he does for his entire body!

Jeremiah 29:11 for I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Things may not go the way you expected them to go just as they didn’t for John and all of the Christians of that day but the ending is good.  He gives us a future. He gives us a hope. He has plans for peace and not evil.  Just as the early church had to endure, so we may have to endure but there is an end and it is good.  It is peaceful.  We have something to hope for as a body and as an individual and it is good!  Just think, in the beginning, God said, “It is good,” and in the end we can say, “It is good!”  In the middle, we can say, “It is well with my soul because I have no fear! God has a hope and a future and it is good! He knows the end from the beginning and he has already declared it!”

Jesus goes on to say, “I have the keys of hell and death!”  For John that must have been a great comfort.  At the moment it seemed evil was loose and he and Jesus were standing together in the place of exile.  Jesus had been killed.  It was true he had risen, but yet, for the moment John was in prison.

Hell is a prison.  Once there a person will not be able to get out. The devil will be thrown there once and for all one day and will not be let out. So will millions that don’t choose Jesus.  For those that have chosen Jesus no matter where their lives are now, they will be free forever. There will never be another tear and there will never be another sorrow.  If there is anything you fear right now, (and John of all people had every reason to fear,) throw it at the feet of Jesus. Let him comfort you. He has the key and the story isn’t over.  He isn’t on the cross and he isn’t bound by chains, gates, bars or a stone. He’s alive forevermore and he has the keys.

He says, “I am the one who lives! I was dead but I’m not dead anymore! I’m alive!”  Jesus is alive and well and able to help. He says, “I’m the First and the Last!”  I can change that to modern English slang and say, “It ain’t over till it’s over!”  It ain’t over folks.  Things may at times look dim and grim.  Even as we move closer to the coming of the Lord we may see dark clouds on the horizon but it ain’t over!  There’s much to be done and we need to know that although we’re in the middle of the story, the story ends well.  Let’s allow Jesus to encourage us with these Words!  Let’s allow him to show us the back of the book.  Then let’s fear not and get on with the business of doing what he’s called us to do until we reach the end of the story.  Turn to the back of the book (the Bible,) and look at what it says:

Revelation 22:20, 21 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!  ²¹ The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.  Amen.

It says I come quickly!  That’s the back of the book my friend, for both the body of Christ and for your trials.  The end comes quickly and so does the eternity of peace, so fear not! Amen!

REVELATION 1:12-14 JESUS YOUR REVELATION

REVELATION

A Verse by Verse Study

My own personal journey

"A journey of studying what’s revealed to me!"

Jesus, YOUR Revelation

Revelation 1: 12-14 Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, ¹³ and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. ¹⁴ His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow...

I've alluded to this statement before. John turned and saw the voice that spoke to him.  The bible says Jesus is and was the Word of God.

John 1:1,2 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was in the beginning with God.

When John turned, he saw more than a person; he saw seven golden lamp stands and one "like" the son of man!  We'll learn later the lamp stands represent the seven churches where the letter will be distributed.  This distribution did address each individual church but there were more than 7 churches in that day. Those were the ones in Asia. There were many house churches  scattered in various places.  These were the ones Jesus addressed that would ensure this Word reached the church at large.  Because of this distribution, you have the letter before your eyes today!  When he said give these to the churches in Asia, he was writing his love letter to you!  Jesus TODAY is walking among us. He is walking among his church. His church is not only in 7 places. His church is his bride in the world at large.  He IS in our midst. He is the light in our midst!  He is our direction. He gives us sight. He causes us to see through the murky waters and through the dense forest of the trials of life.  When we're lost in the woods, he's the way out! When we go through the storms of life, he is there. When he is pleased he lets us know and when we need discipline we hear his conviction... as they did! The bible says he will never leave us or forsake us.  He has given us his Spirit and at times God opens our eyes to see the voice that is the way.  As long as we are on this earth we will hear his voice saying "This is the way, walk ye in it!" At times we are able to see the Word of God as John did!

This reminds me of a song that says, "Open the eyes of my heart Lord.... I want to see you!"  We need to see him as he is, not as he was!  We need to hear what he is speaking to us today!

In studying this, I wrote the above day before yesterday and yesterday evening on the way home, I heard the Lord say in my Spirit to me and all who read:

He said "There is a lamp inside of you and I walk among your lamp stand in the midst of your heart!" 

This really is about us. Sure he's number one but on this little speck in the universe called Earth, God placed man and before he made the first man or laid the foundation of the earth, the plan of salvation for all of mankind was put into place.  It's about you and it's about me.  We're living in the middle of the story and just as he knew John, and he knew the churches, he knows you and he knows me.  One day all the world will worship the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

Revelation 13:8  All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

He is the fire that burns.  We see in this passage we'll see his eyes like fire! Jesus is the lamp stand lit with the very presence of God!  This reminds me of the passage where Abram went into a deep sleep.  He had cut a sacrifice into two parts, representing the covenant of God, as he had been instructed by God to do.  God put him into a deep sleep and then passed among the sacrifice with a burning lamp.  When I looked up the Hebrew pictorial word meaning of the word interpreted "lamp," I found it means a man despised.  Jesus is the lamp.  The man that was despised and rejected now lives within our hearts. How can a lamp mean a man despised. Think about it for a moment.... to be in the light you have to accept the light. To reject the light, you simply flip the switch.  We can choose to flip the switch and walk in darkness.  When we do that, we are rejecting the light.  The man that was despised and rejected was the one cutting covenant and the covenant was his body broken.  He lives within our hearts today! He is risen!  He is the Word of God. He is the lamp that burns. He is the fire inside. He is our guide! He does walk among us and we need to cry out to him, "Open the eyes of my heart Lord! I want to see you!"  I want to walk in the light of the lamp!  We don't want to see him as dead and gone. We don't want to walk and live in a world of darkness!  We want to see him as alive and risen and sitting on the throne in his kingly garments.  We are living in the middle of the Greatest Story Ever Told!  He's the star of the show and we are the co-stars.  It's all about him and all for us!  At the end of this book, we'll read "He wins!" When we read that it also means, "We win!" When he wins, we win!  Never fear my friends because the lamp inside of you is walking in your midst, burning with the fire of the oil we have been given, the oil of the Holy Spirit. He guides the way until we reach that day! Jesus will in the next few verses address the Church that leaves its first love.  Let's keep our fire burning bright.  Turn and see the voice that speaks.  Cast your cares upon him and fall in love with him all over again because he is in your midst today!  Just as he will never leave you, let us never leave him.  Let's not flip the switch and despise the lamp! Let's renew our love and speak with him today!

His hair is as white as wool, not the dark wavy hair we see in pictures!  White hair represents age and wisdom! Jesus is THE Ancient of Days! He was with God in the beginning! He was present when earth was created! He was There when God said, "Let US make man in OUR image!"  We stand in the presence of the Ancient of Days! He is our God! He is THE very wisdom of God incarnate in man!  Society tends to reject the elderly at times.  The elderly are viewed as a passing generation- as old fashioned! People want to be youthful and they admire youthfulness but the bible tails us to stand in the presence of the gray head!  The gray head represents wisdom. The elderly have more knowledge and many have more wisdom than the youthful grasp yet they are rejected.  My father has a hard time remembering things these days. I love just sitting in his presence and listening to him tell stories of the past. There's nuggets of wisdom in the stories he remembers.  Someday it will be too late. I won't hear him speak anymore until that day we meet again and his memory is fully restored. Treasure the wise elderly in your life and treasure the Ancient of Days who is not only filled with wisdom, but he IS wisdom!

1 Corinthians 1:30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption

When I think of Jesus hair as white as wool, I can't help but also consider in addition to wisdom, the color of the hair of a lamb! Most lambs are white.  Remember, the sacrificial lamb the Jews offered year to year had to be a perfect lamb! Jesus was our perfect lamb AND our risen King. When we see him as King, we are never to forget he was the perfect lamb of God! The King of Kings left his place in glory to be our lamb of God that would pay the price for us to have a resurrection body in the presence of God, just as Jesus does!

John said he saw one "like" the son of man!  Well, he did see the Son of Man but he didn't really recognize him! This was Jesus but this may have been the first time John saw him since the Resurrection!  Maybe it has been a while since some of us have seen him, making it hard to recognize him.  Maybe we are seeing him through glasses clouded with our earthly troubles.  We need to know Jesus came as a humble servant but he is now our Risen King! He's no longer hanging on a cross.  He is risen, victorious and is clothed in royal garments.  In those days and even in these days your garments identify you! Garments identify royalty and wealth.  Garments are also uniforms and identify profession! Jesus was clothed in kingly garments right before John's eyes and in those garments he was walking among his church. We need not fear! The King of Kings is among us!  He was no longer wearing the crown of thorns that mocked him. He was no longer wearing the tattered garments that were stained with blood.  In this vision, his sash was one of gold identifying him as the king everyone had hoped he would be! They just didn't know it would happen like this so John was surprised and said he looked like the son of man!  Jesus carried both titles, Son of Man and Son of God! He was the Word of God incarnate!  He was with God in the beginning before he ever came to earth and he was also born of a woman in the lowly state of the son of man!  He was both lowly and king and this was something the human mind could barely fathom. This was what shocked the religious world and this is what shocked the devil.  Because he was son of man, he could pay the ultimate sacrifice as the Son of God and pay the penalty for every other son or daughter of man! He could become our redemption, being the first to receive the resurrected body and he could dwell in the presence of God and man for all eternity, being the mediator that brings us together! This was more than the devil could have possibly imagined and this was blowing John's mind and he said "I saw one that looked like the son of man!"  In the same way Jesus blew the devil's mind and John's he's got more mind blowing victories in store for his children. No matter where you are or what you are going through never forget Jesus on the cross was temporary; John on Patmos was temporary and you in your trials are just temporarily there. Your savior lives and your future is good!

This Revelation given John is our Revelation! We see Jesus in his risen state. We see the Risen King and we see him walking among us! Another thing God asked me in this study is, "How have I revealed myself to you?"  We all have an experience with God- that moment we were born again or the times God has dealt with us!  Just fathom for a moment the thought that this same Jesus was Adam and Eve's Revelation, the one that would crush the head of the serpent.  He was Jacob's Revelation, the ladder to heaven!  He was Ezekiel's Revelation, the enormous rolling fiery cloud, the Wheel In the Middle of the Wheel, the Glory of God that lives, breathes and moves in every direction at the moving of the Spirit of God; Isaiah's Revelation, the suffering servant and victorious Messiah; John the Baptist's Revelation, the one who's shoes we are unworthy to loosen yet was the perfect the Lamb of God who hung on the cross... for us!  He was Peter's Revelation, the Son of the Living God! He is John's Revelation, Son of Man AND the one moving among the lamp stands of his church! He is our lamp! He is our stand! He is our fire! He is our love! He's alive and well and today he wears a sash of gold! He's King of Kings! He's your Revelation!  Praise his holy name!

Revelation 1:9 Beauty in Banishment

Revelation 1:9 Beauty in Banishment

REVELATION- A Verse by Verse Study- My own personal journey

"A journey of studying what’s revealed to me; not a journey to study what isn’t revealed!"

Revelation 1:9 Beauty in Banishment

Revelation 1:9
9 I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. 

John, one of the 12 disciples, the one Jesus loved, the one who sat with his head on Jesus heart beating, was in prison for his faith in Christ and for the Word of God.  Sometimes we don't realize the generals in the kingdom of God go through trials too! John was in prison! He was exiled! Why? Because he believed in Jesus and spoke his Word!  Your faith doesn't guarantee that you won't be in trials but it does guarantee you'll go through them.  When you go through something, you come out the other side.  Sometimes the middle is tough.  John was in a trial. He was imprisoned for his faith. He would die there....and live again on the other side!

THE ISLE OF PATMOS

John's banishment to Patmos is interesting. Patmos is a Greek Island. At the time, Patmos was a place for banishment of political prisoners as well as those that practiced sorcery, witchcraft and astrology.  John, being prophetic would have been in that category as some saw prophecy as witchcraft... just as they do today!  Prophecy is not witchcraft when it's from God!  John didn't say he was imprisoned for being a Christian but for God's Word!  I find that interesting and although I can't confirm it, I wonder if John was preaching of future events and proclaiming the living prophetic Word of God!

BANISHMENT CAN BE BEAUTIFUL

We may think of John as being imprisoned and I guess being exiled is imprisonment but if I was going to be exiled anywhere at all, I guess I'd choose an island....a Greek island!  The story is told, the encounter with Jesus that brought the Revelation was in a cave. I don't know if he was held there or if he was free to roam the island but just remember, in the same way God can give you beauty for ashes and joy for mourning, he can give you beauty in banishment. We must have our eyes open as John did.  One version of the text said he "saw the voice of God!" Whether he saw the voice or what the voice was showing him matters not. He saw something with eyes wide open and in the midst of his banishment, he saw something beautiful!


Revelation 1:10-12 I heard a loud voice behind me, trumpet-clear and piercing: “Write what you see into a book. Send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea.” I turned and saw the voice.


It was here, on The Isle of Patmos, John had his greatest encounter of all, out of which came the Book of Revelation which is a glimpse into the future for the body of Christ and the world at large.  Trials can be difficult but there are lilies in the valley!  Sometimes our greatest encounters come at our lowest moments.

IN THE SPIRIT

John was "in the Spirit."  He was praying and as he was praying he heard a loud voice like a trumpet.  Note John didn't lose his faith while in prison. He still continued to pray. How many of us get into a funk when our hopes and dreams don't turn out the way we expected?  Sometimes in a funk, we may stop praying. John may have gotten in a funk but prayer brought him through. Today John isn't in a funk. Today John is in heaven, seated in heavenly places with Christ Jesus worshiping, living in the reality of the revealed and tangible presence of God, and waiting to hear Jesus say, "Come on!" "It's time to see your Revelation revealed!"

When we are "in the Spirit," things happen! As we call upon the name of the Lord, he shows us things to come as he did with John.  We must stay "in the spirit," to make it through our own "Isle of Patmos!"  We must stay in the Spirit to receive heavenly vision.  Jesus had already spoken about this in John 16 as he was telling the disciples about the role the Holy Spirit would have in their life. John wrote about it as he recalled the words of Jesus telling them of the revelations the Holy Spirit would bring:

JOHN 16: 13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. 15 All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you. 

JOHN HEARD A VOICE

Now we've all heard of the experience of Moses on the back side of the desert. He was dilly dallying along, minding his own business, herding sheep when out of nowhere came a voice.  He wasn't seeking God at all. He may have not been in a funk at all since he had fled Egypt long ago. Moses may have been living an entirely new life, married to the daughter of the Priest of Midian and minding his sheep.  Moses had given up on the call of God having murdered a man and gone into hiding.  Then out of nowhere he heard a voice, turned aside to look, and there was a tree burning but not desinigrating. 

John had been sent to the Isle of Patmos to live out the rest of his life.  Imagine the hopes and dreams that were crushed.  Having walked with Jesus in his earthly ministry, having seen Jesus perform miracle after miracle and having heard Jesus speak the Words of life, then to die right before his eyes had to be heart rending.  Then Jesus rose from the dead and restored hope but as they began to spread the good news the opposition was great.

THE TRIALS OF THE APOSTLES

Both the bible and Foxe's Book of Martyrs are great resources for knowing what some of the apostles of our faith went through to lay the foundation for the Kingdom of God!

They were imprisoned, beaten, chained, stoned and killed. Some were boiled and some were burned at the stake.  They were persecuted, harassed, chased down like animals and tortured. Through all of this, their faith did not fail.  The key word is through. All of them went through!  In America, we are fortunate to have religious liberty.  They were not so fortunate.  Some may think those were acts of ancient times but get the publication "Voice of the Martyrs," and you'll know these thing are happening this very day!

Our faith has to go beyond our circumstance!  Our faith has to be forever settled in heaven and on earth. Our faith has to be settled in our hearts, that no matter what we go through, even death, our faith remains strong and our expectation that he will deliver us and do far above all we could ask or think will be realized!  We must in the face of our greatest trial, have our greatest faith! We must remain "in the spirit," and pray!  Just as John and Moses out of nowhere heard a voice, so our encounter with God that carries us to our next assignment will come suddenly!  Although this assignment didn't bring deliverance from Patmos, it brought a message of deliverance for the entire body of Christ!

REVELATION 1:6-7 THE PRIESTHOOD OF YOU

REVELATION

A Verse by Verse Study

 

A journey of Studying What’s Revealed to Me

 

Revelation 1:6 & 7 Part III: The Priesthood of You

Revelation 1: 6 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen....

⁷ Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.

Part III- cont’d from Parts I & II

Jesus is coming quickly!  When he comes, there will be many on the earth that never knew him.  Every eye will see him!  With modern technology we now know that is possible naturally as we already knew it was possible spiritually. I used to wonder how every eye would see, even as recent as in the 80s.  I don’t wonder that anymore! Modern technology is advancing at lightning speed. Truly every eye on earth will see Jesus! The Jews will be here, who in times passed, asked for a thief and murderer to be released and for Jesus, the perfect lover of their soul to be crucified by piercing.  Ultimately we can say all mankind was responsible for the piercing of Jesus since all mankind has sinned and fallen short of God’s glory! People truly need the Lord!  When he returns the tribes of the earth will mourn, some from repentance as they realize they were wrong and some as they realize the judgments that are coming and are here and life as they know it will change and unless they get saved it won’t go well for them!

Before God gave Moses the Ten Commandments and the rest of the law, there were priests who stood before God.  There was no law from God dictating who would be priests.   There were priests in other nations and religions that were not necessarily priests of God.  Only God knew if a person was really approaching him.  God did recognize one priest who was not a priest according to the law, who had no record of birth and who did not fit the description of the qualifications of the law and his name was Melchesidek.  There were other priests. The bible tells us Moses’ father in law was a priest.  Later God established the priesthood according to the law but before the law, whether a priest truly was a priest of the one true God was determined by the heart and by God.   Abraham recognized this Melchizedek and gave him tithes long before the tithe in the law was established.  Abraham tithed to Melchizedek because he recognized he was greater, not because of the law.  The law had not been established, yet, Melchizedek was a Priest of the Most High God, and later in Hebrews was recognized by God! In fact, God himself said Jesus would be a high priest, after the order of Melchizedek! Jesus’ priesthood was not according to the law but was according to the truth. Remember, the law is a schoolmaster to teach truth!

God later established the law and the order of the priesthood according to the law.  Priests had to enter into the line of the priesthood according to their birth.  If one wasn’t a Levite one could not be a priest.  In addition to being chosen by birth, priests were chosen and anointed for their task.  The wonderful lesson here is although the priesthood is no longer Levitical, even today, God chooses men and women for tasks and anoints them.  Once he chooses you, he puts his anointing upon you to enable you to fulfill your call.

God said he would make up his kingdom and nation a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.  Some may say he was speaking to Israel but this was never established or fulfilled through Israel and the law because only Levites were priests.  God’s goal is to have a holy nation and a kingdom of priests. This is fully accomplished in Christ alone!

Exodus 19:5-7  ⁵ Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. ⁶ And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.”⁷ So Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before them all these words which the Lord commanded him. 

Priests were chosen by God to minister both to and before him. They were to live consecrated lives, set apart for God.  Today were are to live our lives both for and before God. We are to live a consecrated life, set apart. We are called out to be distinctly separate from the world even if among the world.

2 Corinthians 6:17 ¹⁷ Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.

Priests were to go before God for the people carrying the sacrificial blood of bulls that atoned for sins.  Priests put fire on the altar that became a sweet smell acceptable to God, reminding him, sins had been forgiven.... for a year!  Today we go before God making spiritual sacrifices of prayers, praise and thanksgiving.   Our lives become a sweet smell that reminds God of the blood of Christ that has atoned for sins.  Priests keep the flame burning so there never ceases to be prayers going up for the people.  They keep the flame without mixture.  Strange fire, not from God and unrecognizable to God isn’t allowed to keep the fire burning.  Only pure and holy oil from God creates the holy mix that burns brightly before God.

Priests were and are to stand in the gap for people.  They stand before the Lord and minister to him.  They weep in intercession and cry out for restoration.  They cry out for God to spare people from his judgment.

Joel 2:17 Let the priests, who minister to the Lord, Weep between the porch and the altar; Let them say, “Spare Your people, O Lord, And do not give Your heritage to reproach, that the nations should rule over them. Why should they say among the peoples, “Where is their God?”

Priests were to stand before the Lord not only for forgiveness for the people, to keep the flame burning and to stand in the gap but one of the most important things the priests did was bless the Lord.  We today as priests come before God not only for our needs and the needs of others but we come before him to bless his name!

Deuteronomy 21:5 Then the priests, the sons of Levi, shall come near, for the Lord your God has chosen them to minister to Him and to bless in the name of the Lord; by their word every controversy and every assault shall be settled.

Priests are called to build the house of the Lord and to give the Word of God its’ proper place.   The call to build the house of the Lord is one that moves the heart of priests.  While not all will go into the 5 fold ministry we all have a part in building God’s house. As God moves upon our heart, we are called to build his spiritual house and keep his Word before us and the people. Even if not in the full time ministry, this is done in your home, your life and your service.

Ezra 1:5 Then the heads of the fathers’ houses of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites, with all whose spirits God had moved, arose to go up and build the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem.

Nehemiah 8:9 Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, “This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.

Nehemiah 8:13 On the second day of the month, the heads of all the families, along with the priests and the Levites, gathered around Ezra the teacher to give attention to the words of the Law.

The reason understanding the Priesthood is important is God has in the New Testament changed the order of the Priesthood. As he said he would make Jesus the High Priest after the order of Melchizekek. Everything in the Old Testament was a foreshadow of the truth of the New.  Jesus is our high priest, yes, according to birth but not according to the Levitical bloodline. Jesus was of God, not of Levi. He was not of the tribe of Levi. He was after the order of Melchizedek who was a priest before God before the law was ever established. Melchizedek birth was not recorded; he had no beginning or end. Jesus was with the Father in the beginning and Jesus has no end.  He is Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. His Priesthood was in the beginning before the law and has no end!  Now because of our birth into the family of God, with Jesus as our high priest, not after Levi but after his father, we are a priests after the new order of God before the law.  Jesus is High Priest after the truth, which came and was already in existence before the law. 

Psalm 110:4  The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.”

Hebrews 2:17  Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

Hebrews 7:11-12 [ Need for a New Priesthood ] Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron?

Hebrews 7:12 For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law.

God also said he has made us Kings and Priests, a Kingdom of Priests, a Holy Nation! We are now all Priests and we are the representatives of God that go before God for the people who are not yet saved and who will be saved. We weep between the porch and the altar for the lost. We stand in the gap. We are keepers of the flame!  We keep the Word in its place and communicate it in the earth. We bless the Lord and make spiritual sacrifices in praise, prayer and worship, all of which are a sweet smelling savor to the Lord!

1 Peter 2:5  you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 2:9  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;

Revelation 1:6  and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

The bible says the time is short and he is coming back. If you have been born again into the body of Christ, you are a Priest of God, part of a Holy Nation and a Kingdom of Priests!  We must be not just living for ourselves but live to make his name known and make his name great.  We must be standing in the gap for those who are not yet his, pouring out our hearts as a sweet smell before God, making intercession and crying out for salvation for our loved ones and for those who don’t yet know him.  Behold he is coming quickly and has made us both kings and priests!  Let’s fulfill the role of priests while we still can! Amen!

REVELATION 1:5: From Jesus the Faithful King

REVELATION

A Verse by Verse Study

A journey of Studying What’s Revealed to Me

Revelation 1:5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood...

Wow! This is a jam packed verse! This Revelation is brought to you along with grace, peace and blessing from Jesus Christ himself.  He is a faithful witness and can be trusted. He is our brother and being the firstborn that has risen from the dead, he guarantees that we too will be raised both in newness of life and eternal life now and forevermore! He is the ruler of the kings of the earth. We will hear in this book, his name, King of Kings and Lord of Lords! This same Jesus, who is Ruler & King has loved us, chosen us and washed us! We were so important to him and we are so loved by him, he shed his own blood to seal our future!

In a chaotic world, one needs to know where they can place their trust. Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, the Anointed One, our brother and faithful friend and the Ruler of the Earth is faithful and can be trusted. Those who have placed their trust and hope in him, although chaos is all around, will not be disappointed. No matter who scoffs and no matter who mocks; no matter what they say or what venom they spew, Jesus will not fail in what he has promised! His Word is true and forever settled in heaven.

This message, brought to John the Revelator has come directly from Jesus who is currently seated at the throne of God. It has come from the throne by messenger to John on earth for him and the church both then and now and for all who will read and hear the word he brings.  There is no distance between earth and heaven that God cannot reach through.  Here we see Heaven’s communication with Earth.  I don’t know about you but that gives me pause.  I stand in awe as I think of his majesty!  We can be thankful that God communicates his plans in advance. He is a faithful King to bring us his Word. He has not kept silent concerning his will! He is King of Kings and no earthly, nor any evil  king will be able to overthrow him!

He is faithful, and worthy of our trust.  When he brings his message, we know that we know, his Word endures forever. Although hell breathes its fury and at times may seem to have the upper hand, he is the faithful one. The message in the pages of this book can be trusted.  When one is faithful, it means he can be trusted.  It may seem like you’re walking on air at times but remember he stepped out on nothing and created something so if it means we walk on air or water, remember he can be trusted to hold our hand and hold us up or even pull us up as necessary!  A witness in legal terms is one with first hand knowledge. Heresy is not accepted –  but only firsthand.  In Christ, he has seen firsthand was and is and is to come!  He was there. He is there with a bird’s eye view and he has already been where we are going.  In Christ there is no time!  Jesus has firsthand knowledge as he has already seen the end of the battle and he wins.  He has spoken it in his Word which endures forever!  The world can’t understand how we can know the future- be we understand because we have faith in the faithful one!  When given the choice of where to place your trust, let your hand be in the hand of the faithful one!

Jesus is the firstborn from the dead.  Elijah was taken up in a chariot having never died an earthly death (2 Kings 2:11.)  Enoch was taken to heaven as he walked with God on earth and never died. The bible says “He walked with God and he was no more (Genesis 5:24.)”  Jesus was sent from heaven and born into earth as a baby by his mother Mary.  He lived, breathed, walked and lived as a man on earth, having never sinned and because sin had not tainted his being, he was supernaturally raised from the dead by the Spirit of God.  He became the first man to rise from the dead after dying a natural death.  Because he lives, we too will have our mortal bodies quickened and will be raised naturally! We already are raised spiritually and have by his Spirit been given newness of life!  Oh what a glorious miracle he has performed that could only have been accomplished by the sinless Son of Man!  He has astounded the onlookers in his accomplishment, the onlookers of angels, demons and the devil himself.  The devil himself has been sent into derision and Jesus has become the victorious King!  The devil knows he has lost and he knows his time is short.  His goal is to keep as many from joining Jesus in the resurrection as possible. His goal is to take as many as possible into the lake of fire! Jesus’ goal is to gather all things unto himself and to see many come to the father through him.  His goal is to be the firstborn among many brethren!  This book will be a Revelation of the battle between Jesus and the Devil and the way Jesus will defeat the devil once and for all. The devil will be thrown into the lake of fire and Jesus will wipe away the tears. Although the world may be thrown into chaos and confusion, and although the devil may mock and scorn, Jesus is not confused, nor is he afraid and neither does he have questions as to where this is all headed.  He will do all he has said. He is faithful and true and his is victorious!

At times it may not look like Jesus is the ruler of the kings of the earth.  There have been and even are at this time rulers of the earth that are less than Godly! What does the bible say?  It says in Romans 14:11 :

“As I live, says the Lord,
Every knee shall bow to Me,
And every tongue shall confess to God.”

and then again in Philippians 2:9,10:

⁹ Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, ¹⁰ that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, ¹¹ and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

God has given Jesus the name above all names.  Not only should every tongue confess him as Lord and even knee bow before him, but they will.  As the Lord lives, he has promised all will bow before him.  Although we now live in a chaotic world, as things approach that day, he is the firsthand faithful and true witness who has declared the end from the beginning. We can place our trust in him as he carries us to the place and time will all tears will be wiped away! Amen! World without end!

Blue Letter Bible. "Revelation of Jesus Christ 1 - (NKJV - New King James Version)." Blue Letter Bible. 1996-2013. 17 May 2013. < http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Rev&c=1&t=NKJV >

The Holy Bible, New King James Version Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.. “Bible Gateway. 2013. 11 May 2013. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2025&version=NKJV

REVELATION 1:3 - THE BOOK THAT MAKES YOU HAPPY

REVELATION

A Verse by Verse Study

A journey of Studying What’s Revealed to Me

Revelation 1:3

Verse 3  Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.

John the Apostle, the author of the book of Revelation speaks both a blessing and a condition over not only the readers but the hearers of the book.

One of the things people most often in life want is to be happy.  To be blessed is to be happy but it’s not the happiness the world brings but a specific happiness that comes from God.  When a life is blessed it is because God has invoked a blessing upon that life.  It means he has declared the blessing through his mouth which can’t lie.  Blessings are also the result of obedience.  While grace comes to an undeserving life, there is a correlation between obedience and blessing.  To read the book of Revelation with an understanding and receptive heart, with ears that are willing to hear what God says to his church (in all ages,) will bring the blessing of knowledge and understanding!  Reading and understanding the book of Revelation brings a blessing which can only be gained by carrying out the action.  The blessing is a direct result of the action.  

There will be happiness that comes from understanding the book!

Most people avoid this book because of the intensity of the prophecies.  They have erroneously believed the book will instill fear and uncertainty in their heart.  The contrary is true.  

The book of Revelation is a book of hope. It is a book of victory and a book of good news. 

While at times Revelation is sobering, it also contains the promises of victory, reward and the final making of things right on the earth. Reading and understanding revelation will make the lover of Christ happy!  

Understanding the book of Revelation will also fill you with important information in your witness.  Your knowledge and the confidence you gain in knowing the things which must shortly come to pass will help you in your witness of Christ.  Your knowledge and ability to communicate that knowledge could lead a person to the choice they make to place their hopes in the victorious King rather than the defeated deceiver!  Take courage as you read the book and be prepared to be made happy!

Understanding in the heart of a person prepares that person for life.  Understanding will bring you to a more fulfilled life and guide you in decision making.  Understanding dispels confusion.  Understanding helps you to judge situations more clearly.  As this world grows darker and the time for Christ’s return draws nigh, understanding will give you light. There is truly a blessing in reading AND hearing with an understanding ear the book of Revelation. 

God has revealed these things by his Spirit and not left them secret.  Many people avoid the book but God says to read it and hear it. You will be blessed if you do!

My recommendation would be to go through the book with the help of the Spirit of God. Only he can open the ears of your understanding. Ask him to give you wisdom and understanding in knowing him.  Let the Words of God take root in your heart understanding and growing from  what God reveals to you. 

God’s desire is not that we know times as in the day nor hour but that we understand seasons and grow in the knowledge of him.

There are things that are for babes in Christ and things that are for the more mature. Don’t worry about the things you can’t grasp but grasp the things you can, as the Holy Spirit helps! There’s no shame in being a babe in Christ but if you aren’t growing, it’s time to change!

Hebrews 5:12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food.

Hebrews 5:13  For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe.

1 Peter 2:2  as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby,

May we walk through this book gaining the growth, wisdom, knowledge and understanding God will open our ears to hear!

Revelation is a book of prophecy.  That doesn’t mean everything is for the future. Take for example the letters written to the churches.  There are seven churches mentioned that address several issues.  These churches existed at the time of writing but are applicable both today and in the future.

Prophecy is the revealed will and Word of God. It may be true today, come to pass tomorrow or come to pass at some disclosed or undisclosed time in the future.  No matter when it comes to pass, it is the Word of God and we can glean from it now!  

No matter when the ultimate fulfillment, we can glean knowledge and understanding applicable for today! Through the Bible, we can know God. We can know his ways and we can know his plans. We can know his character, his attributes and his desires for mankind.  We will undoubtedly be blessed as he opens our understanding of the book of Revelation!

The Holy Bible, New King James Version Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.. “Bible Gateway. 2013. 11 May 2013. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=revelation%201:3&version=NKJV