When Hope Falters

Grace and peace to you … from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.
-- Rev 1:4-5

Judah had endured centuries of servitude to foreign kings after their Babylonian captivity. They longed for the day God would keep his promise and reestablish one of David's descendants on the throne as God had promised (see Psalms 89:20-37). As the centuries passed, their hope faltered (Psalm 89:38-42).

Then, at the darkest hour, Jesus appeared, and he was much more than they expected! He was the faithful witness to God's character, love, and righteousness for he was the exact representation of God's being (Hebrews 1:3). More than that, he was the firstborn of the dead assuring them that even if they died while still waiting in hope, their hope had not been in vain for the dead would be raised. Finally, he was not merely the king of a small nation, but he was ruler of the kings of the earth, for he had ascended to the right hand of God "far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come" (Ephesians 1:21).

The harassed and weary saints of Asia Minor needed to be reminded of who Jesus was. He was the Faithful Witness of a faithful God, he ruled over the earthly kings who persecuted them, and as the firstborn of the dead, he would raise them to life and joy in the presence of God forever.

Strength for the Weak

Grace and peace to you … from the seven spirits before his throne….
-- Rev 1:4 NIV

Later in Revelation 4:5, the seven spirits are equated with seven lamps which burn continually before the throne of God, and those seven lamps are an allusion to Zechariah 4:2 ff. After the return from Babylonian captivity, Zerubbabel and the people of Judah had been struggling to rebuild the temple, and they just didn't seem to have the power or strength to accomplish the task. In their distress, God assured Zerubbabel that just as he had laid the foundation of the temple, so he would set the final capstone in place when it was finished. All obstacles would be removed before him, and the task would be finished "'not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the Lord Almighty." Again, this greeting would be especially welcome to the Christians in Asia Minor, who seemed so weak and powerless against the powers of Rome. The Spirit would give them success for success depends not on their strength but on the Spirit of the Living God.

A God Who Helps in Time of Need

Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come…
-- Rev 1:4 NIV

For the saints in the churches of Asia who faced daily hardships, persecution, and threats of death, this greeting was particularly meaningful. The God who "is," reminded them of the great I AM who visited the Israelites in their bondage in Egypt, delivered them from Pharaoh's army, and led them to the Promised Land. The second phrase, "who was," connects the God the Christians worshiped to the faithful I AM of the past. The final phrase, "who is to come," reminds them that God will yet deliver them from their tormentors and graciously lead them to a new heavens and a new earth where they would dwell in peace forever and ever.

A Letter to the Churches of Asia

The apostle has called his book a revelation (apocalypse) and a prophecy, but he puts it in the form of an epistle or letter. Notice that he begins in verse four and closes in the last verse of chapter 22 like an epistle:
John,

To the seven churches in the province of Asia:
Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne,
-- Rev 1:4 NIV

The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God's people. Amen.
-- Rev 22:21 NIV

If we compare those verses with the beginning and closing of Paul's epistle to the Philippians (Phil 1:1-2 and 4:13), we see that John's book is also an epistle. Since John's book is an epistle or letter, we should read it expecting the writer to discuss a situation faced by the churches at the time he wrote, and we should expect him to teach, encourage, and admonish the churches in a manner appropriate to that situation. In fact, we will find that John teaches as much about the work of Christ as Paul does in Romans, and he will apply that teaching to the situation faced by the churches of Asia in the late first century.

The Purpose of a Prophecy

Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.
-- Rev 1:3 NIV

Earlier, John called his book a revelation (apocalypse), but now he also calls it a prophecy. John, like the prophets Samuel, Elijah, and Jeremiah, warns God's people of God's impending judgment on their unfaithfulness and calls them to repentance so that they might find God's mercy and forgiveness. Therefore, we who study John's message should look more at ourselves than "signs of the times." How are we being seduced or intimidated by the ungodly culture around us? Why do we who call ourselves Christians practice divorce at the same rate as non-Christians? Why do we enjoy the same lust-laced entertainment and music as non-Christians? Why do we use the Lord's name as frivolously in conversation as non-Christians? Why are we caught up in the same materialism as the culture around us? Unless we repent, knowing the signs of the times will profit us nothing. Blessed are they who hear and take heed.