See It All Revealed in Just One Chapter - Part 11

Welcome back to our study into the Book of Revelation and we are hoping to finish Chapter 1, today. I know it has taken a bit of a long time, 10 study sessions in fact just to deal with everything John sees in the opening Chapter of Revelation, but if you have truly studied your Bible you know that you can't truly understand what is happening in the Book of Revelation until you have read the Bible in its entirety and thus the reason many people don't understand what they reading when the open this marvelous book and see the mysteries behind what we are reading.

Brass comes into play in our final study into Chapter 1, and it has a real significance that can be found all the way back in the Old Testament. When dealing with the instruments and objects used in the Temple that Moses created, we find brazen objects, or objects made from brass, like the brass or brazen altars and lavers, brass speaks to the judgments of God as well as brass in military terms speaks of action, So when we see Jesus Christ coming back for the second time, not for the Rapture, but in returning to the earth, He is coming in judgment on the earth and its inhabitants. When Jesus came to the earth the first time, He brought healing and salvation. Even the verse He quoted from Isaiah when reading the scrolls in the temple, He stopped at a pause, or a comma. Why? Because the very next part of that Scripture speaks of God's judgment and that is exactly where we find this Jesus now in the Book of Revelation, ready to dispense judgment or picking up right where He left off the last time He was on the earth.

He is going to be bringing judgment, wrath and His purging power to the earth before He establishes His coming Kingdom here.

He is the Jesus who's for us, having suffered the wrath, that we find in verse 15, of Revelation Chapter 1, ~ "His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters."

Jesus has suffered the wrath of His Father in our place, for the payment of sin. It is the very nickname we give to the military whenever referring to them, we call them the "brass." The leadership of the military is known as the brass. It is the military that brings judgment in the way of action on the nation it is invading. What Jesus do you relate to today? The Jesus that comes in judgment to the world, that kind of brazen Jesus or the Jesus that suffered the wrath of God in payment for our sins so that we might have salvation through Him? Are you fearful and afraid of Him and His coming because you don't know Him and He is coming in judgment or are you saying thank God for that brass, that nature of Jesus dying in our place for the salvation that can only be found in what He did, the judgment that I was supposed to receive instead?

When Moses had the serpent staff, what did he make it out of? That's right brass! He held it up for the people to look upon it for the salvation of their sickness they were receiving because of their sinful hearts and actions. The serpent, the original origin of sin, on a pole, judged, Satan was judged regarding the cross. Jesus paid for our sins when He was lifted up, as He stood in our place as it were on the cross as God heaped upon Him all the sins of the world. Notice how his feet are the ones like bronze glowing in a furnace. This is the same Jesus who before used to have his feet washed, they now no longer have to worry about getting dirty, they are now no longer subject the anger of men.

Zechariah 12:10 ~ "And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son." (NIV). 

He is the one who is for us, having first called us by name. (Verse 15 and 16).

"and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance."

Jesus' mouth has two different aspects, the sound of it and the sword of it. If you have ever been around a massive storm surge with pounding waves, or the sound of a mighty waterfall, you can not only hear the roar of the water, but you can feel its power as well. It is something to be awed by and respected. It puts fear into you. It's symbolism. Moving water is the symbol of living water. The sound of the water, has a tendency to calm you down. Sometimes when Jesus speaks to us, that it is soothing, calming peace, and at other times, it can put fear into you as well. I am so glad it is that same Jesus that calls me by name.

John 10:27 ~ "My sheep hear my voice and I know them, and they follow me." 

John 10:3-4 ~ "The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they  know his voice. "

And the sharp-two edged sword is the Word of God.

Revelation 19:15 ~"Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations."He will rule them with an iron scepter." He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty."

But in His glory in His revelation, He sounds like a roaring sea or a cascading waterfall.

Hebrews 4:12 ~ "For the Word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."

Who is Jesus today? He is the Jesus who comforts us.

Revelation 1:17-18 ~ "When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am live for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades."

He is the Jesus who comforts us with authority.

"When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last." Revelation 1:17. 

There are six very different things to grasp here.

1. "He laid his right hand on me."

You want God's right hand on Your life. You want to be seated at His right hand. The Bible tells us that it is God's right hand of strength don't ever be on God's left side. On the right side, God says He will argue for you, to enter into His kingdom. Apparently God must be right-handed. Don't argue. Get on his right side. This the hand of favor and of blessing. If an agreement was to be struck, it came through the right hand. If acceptance was given, it came through the right hand. If an association was to be enjoyed, it came through the right hand. Because of "His right hand."

In Matthew 25:34 ~ "Then the King will say to those on his right, "come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 

Matthew 25:41 ~ "Then he will say to those on his left, "Depart from me you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels."  

Psalm 18:35 ~ "You give me your shield of victory, and your right hand sustains me; you stoop down to make me great."

2. "He said to me, "Do not be afraid." 

Imagine for a moment if you, right now, could hear the voice of Jesus Christ speaking to you. "Stop worrying or stop being afraid." The natural question is why should I stop worrying. Here comes the reason why we shouldn't be afraid or worry.

3. "I am the First and the Last"

I am the totality of God's revealed Word to man. I am the consummation from Genesis to Revelation and Beyond. I am the Word from the First and the Last. Christian, next time you are afraid, remind yourself of this, you can grab hold of God's promises, because He is the First and the Last.

This title is reserved exclusively for God alone!

He is the Jesus who comforts us with all power. (verse 18).

"I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am live for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades." ~ Revelation 1:18. 

Jesus Christ Is the Almighty God. I would invite you today to know this Jesus today, the one who lives forevermore. To have your sins forgiven, to give Him your life!

4. "I am he who lives and was dead." 

"I am He who lives, " That is alive and never to die again. That is good news. Put your faith in Him who lives forever and you will never be disappointed again.

"and was dead, and behold, " that is "my body suffered to the extreme, look at it!"

5. "I am alive forevermore."

That is I will be alive throughout the eons upon eons of ages. Epochs without end.

Christian, how long will you live in heaven?  Alive throughout the eons upon eons of ages, epochs without end.

Christian, how long will you be secure in heaven? Saved throughout the eons upon eons of ages, epochs without end. As long as Jesus lives. FOREVER!

Hebrews 7:25 ~ "Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them." 

He is the Jesus who comforts us - with all rule. 

6.  "I hold the keys of death and Hades."

Satan's been evicted friends. All he can do now is panic. Panic, by blinding people to the truth. Panic, by keeping you busy instead of serving. Panic, by stealing you away from worship. Panic, by having you be lazy toward church things. So why would you ever want to be on the defeated team?

Jesus has the Supreme Rule. He is saying I have the keys, you enjoy the kingdom.

Who is Jesus Christ today. He is the Jesus who comforts this way. (verse 19-20)

"Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now, and what will take place later. The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches." ~ Revelation 1:19-20

Jesus Christ himself gives us the outline of the entire book. It's so important he says, "Write it down!" It's what we tell people to do when something is important and we don't want them to forget.

He is the Jesus who wants us to know that He knows. He even gives us the outline! He must like three point sermons. If you focus on Revelation by Jesus' outline, you'll never go wrong with Bible prophecy.

Write these things. (1) which you have seen. (Chapter 1).
(2) the things which are, (Chapters 2-3)
and the things that will take place later. (Chapters 4-22).

He is the Jesus who wants us to know that He will teach us. (verse 20).

The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels (protecting angels or faithful pastors) of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches." Jesus calls his pastors, messengers, same word for angels. His messenger to that church! That pastor by God has been installed as that messenger to that church. The book is now open! We just concluded Chapter one and you know what has been revealed in just that one chapter?

He will teach us about Himself. So what do we know so far?

He is Jesus.

He is the Christ.

He is the faithful witness.

He is the first begotten of the dead.

He is the prince of the Kings of the earth. 

He is the One who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood.

He is the One who comes with the clouds.

He is the One who was pierced for us.

He is the Alpha and the Omega.

He is the Beginning and the End.

He is the First and the Last.

He is the Lord.

He is the Almighty.

He is the Son of Man.

He is He that lives and was dead and is alive forevermore!

THIS IS WHO JESUS CHRIST IS! This has all been revealed in just one chapter in the Book of Revelation! He is our Savior and our Redeemer.