Well done! I have already spoken to a few of my 'Home Girls' and it seems that you all had a good and profitable class yesterday (Thursday) morning, discussing all that you had learned from your first week's homework assignments. For those of you who are taking this study along with us On-Line, our seven day study week begins on Thursdays and ends on Wednesdays!
My posting today is meant to add to the discussion that you have already had, hopefully with something that perhaps was not discussed so as not to bore you silly!
I thought that in our 'Closer Look' today, we could focus on Revelation 1:8. At first glance, this verse may appear out of context in the text but let's go through together and see what we can find.
One of the things that we have been doing throughout Chapter One is the marking of every reference to God the Father, God the Son and God the Spirit including their pronouns. This marking is key in unlocking the meaning behind v.8.
Stick with me here girls!
Let's go back to v. 4-5 and read it through... "John to the seven churches that are in Asia; Grace to you and peace, from Him who is and who was and who is to come and from the seven Spirits who are before His Throne, and from Jesus Christ..."
Let's go back to v. 4-5 and read it through... "John to the seven churches that are in Asia; Grace to you and peace, from Him who is and who was and who is to come and from the seven Spirits who are before His Throne, and from Jesus Christ..."
Here we see the Trinity... the first 'from' refers to 'Him who is and who was and who is to come' the second 'from' refers to 'the seven Spirits who are before His throne'... who's throne? The throne of 'Him who is and who was and who is to come'! The third 'from' is referring to Jesus.
And this is important, why? Because when we come to v.8 we read... "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty." Keeping within the context, v.8 is a direct reference to the One Who sits upon the throne.... God the Father, One of the Three mentioned in v. 4-5.
What about Jesus? Turn to Revelation 4:1-11 and read it through... I'll wait for you!
This is showing God the Father upon His throne (just like Rev.1:4).
And this is important, why? Because when we come to v.8 we read... "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty." Keeping within the context, v.8 is a direct reference to the One Who sits upon the throne.... God the Father, One of the Three mentioned in v. 4-5.
What about Jesus? Turn to Revelation 4:1-11 and read it through... I'll wait for you!
This is showing God the Father upon His throne (just like Rev.1:4).
Read v. 8 again... "HOLY, HOLY, HOLY IS THE LORD GOD, ALMIGHTY, WHO WAS AND WHO IS AND WHO IS TO COME." Now, drop down to Chapter 5 and read through verses 1-10. Here we see Jesus between the elders and the throne of God the Father. I can hardly wait to teach on this in the weeks yet to come, but v.10 should have your mind reeling back to Revelation 1:6!
So here are my thoughts...
In v. 1-4 we see how this Revelation came to the churches and ultimately us.
In v. 4-5 we see the introduction of the Trinity, each One distinct within the Whole.
In v. 5 we also see the description of Jesus as the Faithful Witness, the Firstborn of the dead, the Ruler of the kings of the earth.
We also see the love of Jesus and the salvation that was wrought through His blood to make us to be a kingdom... a kingdom of priests to God the Father.
And when we read "to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever, Amen", the 'Him' referred to here is Jesus as seen in Daniel 7: 27. By the way, if you were to read Daniel 7:23-27 you would see the reference to the 'Highest One' being God the Son, and the reference to the 'Most High' is God the Father.
So here are my thoughts...
In v. 1-4 we see how this Revelation came to the churches and ultimately us.
In v. 4-5 we see the introduction of the Trinity, each One distinct within the Whole.
In v. 5 we also see the description of Jesus as the Faithful Witness, the Firstborn of the dead, the Ruler of the kings of the earth.
We also see the love of Jesus and the salvation that was wrought through His blood to make us to be a kingdom... a kingdom of priests to God the Father.
And when we read "to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever, Amen", the 'Him' referred to here is Jesus as seen in Daniel 7: 27. By the way, if you were to read Daniel 7:23-27 you would see the reference to the 'Highest One' being God the Son, and the reference to the 'Most High' is God the Father.
Revelation 1:7 then flows quite naturally out of v.4-6 as it shows Jesus 'coming with the clouds'; we know that this is still referring to Jesus as He is the One Who was 'pierced'. It ends with "So it is to be. Amen."
Then comes Revelation 1:8 which also flows beautifully out of the preceding verses; this is where God the Father steps to the fore saying 'I AM'! He is the One that initiated salvation through His Son (Gen. 3:15, Luke 9:35) and now... Behold, Jesus is Coming! And now God the Father is the One that steps forward, The Almighty, the Only One Who can throw the curtain wide open and inaugurate the Revelation! Give Him praise! Give Him praise!
For those of you that studied through the book of John with me, remember the EGO EIMI of 8:24,28,58? This was Jesus Christ, the Messiah, Emmanuel, God with us, the Word Who was God (John 1:1), the Word that became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14).
As we look at Revelation 1:8 in context with the whole of Scripture, we can see God the Father basically saying, "I AM!" (Exodus 3:13-14). The Father and the Son are One (John 10:30).
He is the Beginning and the End, He is the Lord God, He is, He was and He is to come (He came the first time as God the Son, He will come again as the Conquering King), and He is the Almighty! Everything that you read from v.1-7 is under His direction and control and purposes and He has stepped to the fore to tell us in one little verse... I AM!
After v. 8 would be a good time to bend our knee before our God in a time of worship... perhaps then we can move on to v.9-10 and join with John as he declares, "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day."
May God bless you in your study this week,
I am here serving with great joy,
love,
After v. 8 would be a good time to bend our knee before our God in a time of worship... perhaps then we can move on to v.9-10 and join with John as he declares, "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day."
May God bless you in your study this week,
I am here serving with great joy,
love,
4 comments:
Hi! I am so glad that you are here! Pull up a chair and make yourself at home... what has spoken to you this week from your study in God's Word? Think about it... the other girls should be arriving soon and we will talk about it!
Hi Cathie,
When you read those verses in Revelation 4:1-11 "ALL" that you want to do is fall to your knees and worship. As I sit here typing the tears are running down my face because I just read those verses and my reaction is always the same and I believe will always be this way. The question asked in day seven of our study was this, if what I have learned about Jesus is new and would this change how I worship Him. When I came to John's encounter with Jesus starting with verse 13 in the first chapter all I could see was His Majesty, Glory, Righteousness, beyond my mere words, but "YOU ALONE ARE WORTHY" kept running through my mind. What a GLORIOUS glimpse of our Lord and Saviour. So does it change how I worship Him? For me, this study is a time of "renewal" to once again really SEE Him. Debbie put it so well in saying that she is so thankful for this study because she needs it at this time in her life...you are not alone in thinking that Debbie. It should not pass us by that God promises a blessing on those who read, hear and heed the things written in this book. We are given this promise in Rev 1:3 and again in chapter 22:7 so it is meant to encourage us. We live in times that can be so busy and stressful, wondering how to manage all these emotions and the tired body that goes along with it...and then we stop...and gaze on HIM! Cathie,the power of those words "I AM" holds me there...Be still and know that "I AM" GOD. I believe that as we continue on in Revelation we will be so strengthened and encouraged when we see all that awaits us and He loves us so much He gave us this book because He wants us to KNOW!
Angie, I understand completely your emotion, these are powerful passages of Scripture that ignite the hearts of those that belong to Him.
I have often said that when God says 'I AM!' our response on bended knee is to be 'YOU ARE!', and then we are to take that out into the world proclaiming, 'HE IS"!
Bless you Angie!
Cathie
It was so lovely to see you at the study on Thursday Angie! and not only that you made us coffee and brought a birthday cake for Joan and Edna!
It was great to study the Majesty of Jesus in John's vision and to see how His appearance dipicted many symbols used throughout the Bible.
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