Revelation 1-Part 4
And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. Revelation 1:5-6 KJV
LET IT GLOW
When I die, don't creamate me. Lay my body in a casket. I have a lively hope in being resurrected from the dead when Jesus comes to earth to reign, if I am dead at that time. I do like that description-a lively hope. This hope is alive and living inside of me-Jesus is the One in whom I put my hope and trust. He gives me that lively hope because He didn't stay dead, but arose from the grave, alive.
Webster's Dictionary defines lively as full of life; vivid, bright; bouyant, elastic.
Yes, my hope is full of life, not a dead hope or no hope, but lively. Can you tell I like the way Brother Henry described the hope we have because of Jesus' resurrection?
Looking at our verses, we can see that John answered the question:
Who is Jesus?
- He is the faithful witness. He was from eternity a witness to all the counsels of God (John 1:18), and He was in time a faithful witness to the revealed will of God, who has now spoken to us by His Son; upon His testimony we safely depend, for He is a faithful witness, cannot be deceived and cannot deceive us.
- He is the first begotten of the dead. He is the first-born from the dead, or the first parent and head of the resurrection, the only one who raised himself by his own power, and who will by the same power raise up His people from their graves to everlasting honor; for He has begotten them again to a lively hope by His resurrection from the dead.
- He is the prince of the kings of the earth. From Him they have their authority; by Him their power is limited and their wrath restrained; by Him their counsels are over-ruled, and to Him they are accountable. Christ is the King of kings and Lord of lords.
- He has loved us. He is the great friend of His church and people, one who has done great things for them, and this out of pure disinterested affection.
- He has washed us from our sins in His own blood. Sins leave a stain upon the soul, a stain of guilt and of pollution. Nothing can fetch out this stain but the blood of Christ; and, rather than it should not be washed out, Christ was willing to shed His own blood, to purchase, pardon, and purity for them.
- He has made us kings. Having justified and sanctified them, He makes them kings to His Father. As kings, they overcome the world, mortify sin, govern their own spirits, conquer Satan, have power and prevalency with God in prayer.
- He has made us priests unto God and His Father. He hath given them access to God, enabled them to enter into the holiest and to offer spiritual and acceptable sacrifices.
Jesus has freed us from our sins by His blood. NIV-verse 5
Brothers, you are a king; sisters, we are a queen. Through King Jesus, I am royalty.
Whenever I enter the throne room offering prayers, I am a priest by the High Priest Jesus' standards.
I am loved by the One who made everything-Awesome God.
Praise the LORD of lords and KING of kings!
Who is my King, the King of my life?
who is your King, dear one?
LET IT GROW
To Him, our Father God, be glory and dominion for ever and ever.
Glory (doxa in Greek), means praise, honor; dominion (kratos in Greek) means strength, might.
(New Testament Greek Concordance)
Do I give God praise and honor that He deserves?
Do I rely on His strength?
LET IT GO
Praise God my heavenly Father and His Son Jesus every opportunity I get.
Depend upon His strength to carry on.
Proclaim with a lively hope the resurrection of the dead that is coming and Jesus' resurrection.
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