EVEN SO, AMEN
Read Revelation 1:5-7.
Jesus Christ – He is the main character in the revelation. It is about His love, His wrath, His kingdom, and His power. Amidst all the activity and apparent chaos seen in this revelation, we must not lose sight of Jesus Christ. In our passage today, He is described as:
- the faithful witness (i.e. the one who has knowledge, particularly of this revelation)
- the first-born from the dead (i.e. the first to be resurrected with an immortal body, and the preeminent One deserving of the throne of heaven.)
- the ruler of the kings of the earth (i.e. speaking of Christ’s realized rule in the future)
If that wasn’t enough, John adds:
- He is the One who loves us.
- He has released us from our sins.
- He has made us to be a kingdom (note, not of buildings, but of people).
- He has made us to be priests (with the ability to enter God’s presence and worship Him).
Dwell on those things for a little while. It’s all about Jesus, is it not? It’s about who He is and what He has done for us. How can one not say as the apostle says, “To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.”?
And so, though the words we will hear shortly will speak of God’s wrath and judgment, we must not miss this prologue – that Christ is good, faithful, and loving. We can say, “Amen” because His love and mercy are ever before us. And when in v. 7 the apostle says that when Jesus returns with the clouds, and those who pierced Him and all the tribes of the earth will mourn, we can still say, “Even so, Amen.” Why? Because God has “rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves.” (Col. 1:13) We don’t praise God because of the destiny of His enemies, but because we could have been there ourselves. Let that thought give you a thankful heart as you go about your day.