Revelation 1 v 17: Then he placed his right hand on me and said: ‘Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last.
We find the Apostle John on the Island of Patmos. The island of Patmos was like an Alcatraz Island in the Roman Empire. Patmos was a rocky, desolate island about 10 miles long and 6 miles wide. John was exiled there by the Romans. It was used as a prison island and functioned as a jail without bars. The island was rich in marble, and most of the prisoners were forced labourers in marble quarries.
While there he was taken up in the Spirit, where Jesus revealed to him what will happen at the end times. We know it is Jesus who is speaking to him from verses 1 and 2
Revelation 1 v 1 and 2: The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who testifies to everything he saw – that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.
John does not fully recognise Jesus in his Heavenly Glory, however, he does recognise the voice and the description Jesus gives of himself, to be sure that it is Jesus who is speaking to him. Jesus is now revealed in his Heavenly Glory and does not look the same as when John last saw him before he ascended back to heaven. He has the same resurrection body but so much more, as we read in verses 12 to 16:
Revelation 1 v 12 to 16: I turned round to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash round his chest. The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.
John sees Jesus in the midst of the lampstands and sees him like a Son of Man. This was the same title given to him by Daniel in his vision.
Daniel 7 v 13 and 14: “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.
Daniel saw Jesus and gave him the same title Son of Man, even more than that he declared Jesus’ dominion and Kingdom is everlasting and will never be destroyed.
Jesus is the First
For Jesus to be the first means that no one and nothing existed before Him. Jesus Christ is the creator God as we read in John 1
John 1 v 1 to 3: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.
It is Jesus who brought into being the present creation, and it is he who will sweep it all away and bring in the new Heaven and Earth in the last days. Jesus emphasised the reality of his eternal being again and again. He is, was, and always will be God the Son. All things begin with him, all things end with him, he is all and in all, he is timeless, he is from everlasting to everlasting, from eternity to eternity. If Jesus is the first and the last, he is also in the middle as well. Jesus is saying to John, and us that he’s still working in the middle of history, including our current situations. We can press on knowing Jesus is working out his plan in the middle of history, which includes a triumphant victory over all our afflictions at the end of history.
I know when we are all facing situations of all kinds, it sometimes feels like Jesus is absent, it feels like he doesn’t care. As we go through difficult situations it does not mean he does not care. If he didn’t care he wouldn’t have died on the cross for us, and he wouldn’t have given John this revelation to share with us. He died and gave John this revelation because he loves and cares for us. He wants us to know great afflictions are coming, but his power will prove greater than anything Satan can throw at us.
He gives John this revelation, reveals his power and glory in such a great way, it causes John to collapse as though dead. What is Jesus’ response to him on the floor, he placed his right hand on him and said ‘Do not be afraid’. Those same words he says to us whatever situations and all those yet to come. Do not be afraid, because he has overcome everything evil could do to him and won the victory for us.
1 John 4 v 3b to 4: This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
A day will come, when Jesus will show he’s greater than our greatest enemy and afflictions, but it’s a promise only for those who put their faith in him. Those who put their trust in worldly things will see it but not be part of his Heavenly Kingdom
Jesus is the Last
For Jesus to be the Last means that he is in charge of history. There was no one before him and he will outlast everything, because his Kingdom will last forever. Jesus will finish what he started. He created the universe at the beginning and he will create a new Heaven and a new Earth at a time appointed by his father. He also tells John that he has the keys to death and hades in verse 18
Revelation 1 v 18: I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
John knows that Jesus was dead and is now alive because he saw his crucifixion and him after his resurrection. Jesus confirms again, in this verse, that he is alive and has all authority over what has happened in the past and what will happen in the future. In the ancient world, keys represented control over a house or city; here, they signify Christ’s rightful sovereignty over the grave.
Death and Hades were not present in the beginning of the creation of the heavens and the earth, because everything God made was good. Death came about only because of Adam and Eve’s disobedience, because of their actions sin entered creation and has been inherited by all mankind. Jesus is alive forevermore, having ransomed us by his death and resurrection, which abolished any claim death has over us. As we look at the world leaders today and see how they use their power and authority, not always for good, it is good to know they will not have any power at the end of the age. The dictator of Iraq Saddam Hussain was given the key to the city of Detroit in the USA for a sizeable donation to a local church. Not a good decision on their part.
Jesus is the only one who governs from the beginning to the end, he has all the power and authority to do as he wills. He will do it with honesty, love and faithfulness.
Isaiah 9 v 6a: For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.
Jesus has the key of David and sits on David’s throne for eternity. We can all breathe a sigh of relief that the government for eternity is with him alone. A key is first of all used for opening a lock. Jesus as the holder of the key, can open the gates of death and hell. No one else has a copy, there is only one.
We as humans will face death at some point. We should not fear death as it is a gateway into God’s eternal kingdom. Unless he comes again first. The key is Jesus’ to unlock the gate to admit his children one by one into their eternal home, with him for eternity. He can also keep the gate locked and refuse entry to those who have not given their lives to him, and walked in obedience to him. As the key holder he also has power over Satan and his kingdom of darkness. When Satan’s reign of terror is ended, he and all his forces will have to bow the knee before Jesus, and acknowledge him as King of kings and Lord of lords. The best place to be is to be shut in the Kingdom of our God for eternity rather than be shut out for eternity. Access to the Kingdom of God is free of charge, as Jesus has already paid the price in full, and offers it as a free gift for all who believe in him.
John 3 v 16: For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Where do you stand – in or out of the Kingdom of God? The choice is yours