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3. The Son of Man Presents Himself to His Servant John (Revelation 1:17-18)
REVELATION 1:17-18
17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet like a dead man. He laid his right hand on me, saying, “Don’t be afraid. I am the first and the last, 18 and the Living one. I was dead, and behold, I am alive forever more. Amen. I have the keys of Death and of Hades”
When I Saw Him, I Fell at His Feet As Dead: The blinding white glory of Jesus penetrated John. He fell to the ground as if he were dead. God dwells in a light in which no sinner can survive (1 Timmothy 6:16). His appearing fills one with dread, for His light penetrates the eyes and heart, and it burns away all human confidence. John was overpowered by the radiating light of Christ. The same thing happens whenever the glory of the Lord apprehends a person: people become shaken to the core. Moses, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, the shepherds by Bethlehem, Peter, and Paul all experienced the same judging and death of their proud egos. Nothing remained of their own worth.
Muhammad had no personal encounter with the holy God. That’s why his “I” remained intact. He knew neither the glory of the Lord nor his own bottomless depravity. He never stood in the light and judgment of the Holy One.
He Laid His Right Hand Upon Me: Jesus, the Judge, stooped to place His right hand upon His apostle, who was lying prostrate on the ground. Jesus acted the same way while He was alive on the earth - He healed the sick and raised the dead. He acted similarly, too, when He blessed His disciples prior to His ascension. When he lays His hand upon people, they are healed, sanctified, sent out, and raised from the dead. Whoever has the right hand of Jesus laid upon him or her receives new strength from His fullness (Daniel 8:18; 10:10; Matthew 17:7, among others). John, who was over 80 years of age at the time, was empowered for new service through the hand of his Lord.
He Spoke: Fear Not: Jesus spoke to John directly and gave him a commission, direction, and leading. The words of the Son of Man did not kill the apostle, but rather enabled him to comfort his own followers.
At first, John had dreadful fear when the Lord appeared before him in His holiness. God’s light exposes all guilt and failure. His omnipotence means destruction and hell for sinners – but not for John. The voice of God conveyed to him mercy, love, salvation, invigoration, strength, protection, and guidance.
“Fear not!” – that was a command. John was to be reminded of the words that he himself had written: “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear” (1 John 4:17-18). Fear of judgment was no longer an issue for John, because Jesus bore the penalty of sin, for him, and for the rest of the world. Whoever believes on the Son will not be judged; these have already passed into eternal life (John 3:17-18; 5:24).
I Am the First and the Last and He Who Lives: Jesus introduced Himself in His blazing glory with three of the 347 names of God that are mentioned in the Bible. He did not consider it robbery to be equal with God (Philippians 2:6), for He was and is “begotten of the Father before all the ages, Light of Light, true God of true God,” as described in the Nicene Creed. In Him, the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily (Colossians 2:9).
God created the world through His Word. He redeemed it through Jesus, His Word, and through His Word He will judge it. Together with His Father, Jesus was the First to exist. He existed before the beginning of creation. The Word of God will also be the last to be subject to God (1 Corinthians 15:26-28).
Christ if victor! After Him, no one else will appear in the arena of history. In His humility, tenderness, holiness, and love, He has overcome all powers opposed to God. He denied His self completely. Death has been conquered in His resurrection; at the end of the ages, He will eradicate this final enemy once and for all!
Jesus possesses the right to use God’s very own name for Himself, for He has life in Himself (John 5:25-29), just as God is life Himself. Jesus is Yahweh, the Eternal One, who never changes. The Church acknowledged this secret at its inception: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and in all eternity (Hebrews 13:8). Jesus is the Living One, the elemental force, who alone can kill death.
I Was Dead: Jesus not only revealed Himself to John with the majestic titles of Yahweh, He also revealed Himself with a special characteristic - one that neither the Father nor the Holy Spirit has: Jesus was dead! This small sentence is incomprehensible. How can the Eternal One die? Life itself – the very Source of Life – cannot and must not die!
With this sentence, Jesus attested to the reality of His incarnation and the purpose of His becoming human: He was born to die. He assumed a natural, mortal life, so that He could become a vicarious sacrifice for all. His death is the greatest marvel of all world history. In love and for the sake of His enemies, the Eternal One bore the pain of death and drank the chalice of God’s wrath to the dregs. Whoever can comprehend this love will worship the Lamb of God.
Jesus really did die; He did not merely appear to have died. His crucifixion is an undeniable historical reality, even if Muslims deny it. John himself stood below the cross to which Jesus, wearing a crown of thorns, was nailed; he witnessed this reality with his own eyes. He heard and documented his last cry: “It is finished!” (John 19:30).
What was finished? Jesus suffered in our place and died on our behalf. He was the holy, atoning sacrifice for sin that wholly satisfied the righteous requirements of a holy God. Through His vicarious death, the wrath of God has been satisfied once and for all, and the fallen world has been reconciled to Him as well. Victory over all temptations of Satan has been completed. Jesus prophesied accurately through faith about His victory over death and His resurrection (Matthew 16:21; 17:23; 20:19).
Behold, I Am Alive Forevermore: Jesus challenged John to look at Him confidently and to understand that He, the Crucified One, was alive. At the start of the persecutions of the early Church, John was to know with certainty that Jesus, through His own death, abolished Death itself and brought eternal life to light (2 Timothy 1:10). Jesus is the first person that was resurrected victoriously from His grave. He thereby also vanquished him who held the power over death: Satan (Hebrews 2:14).
Since then, the life of Jesus Christ has been increasing continually through His redeemed followers. Jesus is alive with God as an independent Person; yet at the same time He is present among His Church. He is the Head, and His Church is His body (Romans 12:5; 1 Corinthians 12:27; Ephesians 4:25).
The Lord’s life is not subject to time and space any longer. He exists in all eternity. Whoever follows Him, will go on living in Him infinitely. John was to understand that the Lord of glory, who placed His hand upon him, is the same Son of Man that previously allowed him to rest his head against His bosom. He lives! All pessimism, fear, and worry are therefore unbelief and sin. Because Jesus lives, Christians have every reason to be optimistic, active, and comforted. His life is our strength and hope.
I Have the Keys of Hades and Death: Jesus had handed over the keys to the kingdom of heaven to Peter and the other apostles (Matthew 16:19; 18:18; John 20:22-23). Whoever believes in their testimony, that Jesus is the Son of God, lives eternally. However, Jesus could not hand over the keys to Hades and Death to His disciples, because these belong to His realm of authority. Satan wanted all people to be bound to him as debtors, but Jesus opened the gates of the prison of death. He freed the believers. His life enlivens those who are dead in sins. His holding the keys is a sign of His timeless authority. Before His death-conquering life, all Caesars, leaders, presidents, and dictators appear as short-lived failures. Even philosophies and political parties who have no answer to the mystery of death are worthless.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, eternal Judge, we praise You because You raised John the Apostle from fear and semi-death when he had seen You in Your glorious authority, and You prevented him from becoming afraid for You are the first and the last. You were dead and are living and You bring us to Your eternal life. We magnify You and rejoice in Your eternal love.
QUESTION:
- What is the astonishing secret in the life of Christ?