Meeting the Champion - Rumor notes 5

 

We are near the end of chapter 1 in Revelation where the emphasis is on meeting the Champion of the kingdom of light. This chapter is vital to understand and appreciate properly for it sets the tone for perceiving the rest of the book in its true context. This book is all about Jesus, who is all about revealing the heart of God not only to humanity but to all the universe who are involved in this great war over what God is really like.

There are a number of key words and phrases that begin in this chapter that will reappear throughout the book that need to be firmly anchored in a proper understanding of who Jesus is and how He reveals the Father. As Hebrews 1 explains, Jesus is the only reliable exposition of the truth about God in contrast to that other angel claiming to have the real scoop on God that is quite different from how Jesus reveals Him. Without this truth, attempts to understand the book of Revelation will inevitably spin out of control into wild speculations and involve mixed messages about God's motives and methods. As Jesus warned His disciples, if we don't believe the radical revelation of Jesus and resist allowing His humility and love to transform our thinking and disposition, it is because we don't know the Father or the Son.

Jesus answered, "If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say that he is our God. You have not known him, but I know him. If I said, 'I don't know him,' I would be like you, a liar. But I know him, and keep his word." (John 8:54-55)

These things have I spoken to you, so that you wouldn't be caused to stumble. They will put you out of the synagogues. Yes, the time comes that whoever kills you will think that he offers service to God. They will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me. (John 16:1-3)

It is vital that we become settled in the central truth that the only reliable knowledge of God comes through the revelation of Jesus Christ. The life and teachings of Jesus alone must be the standard of measure and the filter through which everything else is processed if we ever hope to begin to come into a right appreciation of the life-changing truths packed into this book. Every event, every symbol, every action and description we come across in our study of Revelation must be strictly tested by the life and words of Jesus who is the central theme of this book as we have seen in this chapter. That is why I believe it is no waste of time to spend as much attention as possible to soaking in this chapter before we launch into surveying the rest of this prophecy. Everything forward, particularly starting with chapter 4, is like getting into a roller-coaster that will take us on the ride of our life with very unexpected perspectives if we remain securely connected to viewing everything through the lens of what is found here in the first chapter.

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, and the Living one. I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. I have the keys of Death and of Hades." (Revelation 1:17-18)

I fell down before his feet to worship him. He said to me, "Look! Don't do it! I am a fellow bondservant with you and with your brothers who hold the testimony of Jesus. Worship God, for the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy." (Revelation 19:10)

Now I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. When I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who had shown me these things. He said to me, "See you don't do it! I am a fellow bondservant with you and with your brothers, the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God." (Revelation 22:8-9)

The angel before whom John fell down later two different times objected on the basis that John needed to worship God, so clearly the angel was not God. At the same time, the strong inference is that Jesus is God given that this first time John falls down to worship there is no such objection. Rather Jesus addresses John's fears knowing that fear can be a dangerous element when in the presence of the intensity of God's glory.

This issue of fear and John's need to put it away right at the beginning of the book highlights the fact that fear is a major issue throughout the book. Fear is the means whereby the enemy manipulates others into serving and worshiping him. Fear lies at the very heart of the rebellion and is the opposite of the heart of God and His ways of governing. This is why nearly every time an angel of God or God Himself shows up to communicate with humans they have to address this issue. For it is our misconceptions about God and His use of power that is at the root of all fear, and thus it is one of the main enemies that must be overcome by all who want to participate in the kingdom of Christ.

Since then the children have shared in flesh and blood, he also himself in like manner partook of the same, that through death he might bring to nothing him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might deliver all of them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. (Hebrews 2:14-15)

In this love has been made perfect among us, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment, because as he is, even so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear has punishment. He who fears is not made perfect in love. (1 John 4:17-18)

I am alive forevermore. Amen. I have the keys of Death and of Hades.

By so much, Jesus has become the collateral of a better covenant. Many, indeed, have been made priests, because they are hindered from continuing by death. But he, because he lives forever, has his priesthood unchangeable. Therefore he is also able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, seeing that he lives forever to make intercession for them. (Hebrews 7:22-25)

Here we find again right in the very first chapter references to the major theme of salvation, that of who gets to represent humanity before God and the universe. The history of this contested issue includes the fact that our first representative came under the power of death because of surrendering his authority to the devil. Because of this he lost his authority to represent his own family because the keys of death were used by his new tyrannical slave-master to replace Adam as the one representing humans in heaven.

Now we find Jesus reassuring John that it is Jesus who now has gained full authorization to represent us in heaven and there is no danger of death interrupting that arrangement ever again. How can this be such a permanent reality? Because Jesus took full authority over death itself and took away the keys of death and the grave that Satan abused as prince of this world for so long, setting all of us free.

"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim release to the captives, recovering of sight to the blind, to deliver those who are crushed, and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord." (Luke 4:18-19)

Write therefore the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will happen hereafter; (Revelation 1:19)

I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, like a trumpet saying, "What you see, write in a book and send to the seven assemblies: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and to Laodicea." (Revelation 1:10-11)