(Revelation 1:5-7 NIV) and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen. "Look, he is coming with the clouds," and "every eye will see him, even those who pierced him"; and all peoples on earth "will mourn because of him."So shall it be! Amen.
I like the verses because of they way it reminds us of Christ's life and sacrifice. The love, grace, and forgiveness of sins because of his blood on the cross. And then ALL we see him returning, even those who pierced him all will mourn. I try to imagine my reaction if I get to see him and I worry I have failed Him somehow. "So shall it be! Amen," is a statement finality. If you a not a Christ Follower. His glory, that we live in, is all powerful. If one doesn't believe it now. Wait...
Revelation is going to only get more and more in depth and complicated as time goes on, but this first chapter was pretty straight forward. I'm excited to see what the book has in store.
ReplyDeleteA passage I liked was verses 17 and 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 alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades."
Christ (and others) constantly says throughout the New Testament that we are not to be afraid. I know I wish to put all of my faith and trust in Him, but it is difficult. I thought it was special to see that John was totally blown away by Christ's supreme being even after living with Him and being with Him almost nonstop for the past few years, and I related myself to John in that sense. Even though I have not physically seen Christ, I know who He is and what He did for me - Jesus was once dead but returned to life and is alive forever through me and all eternity!