At the beginning of the beginning, in the book of Genesis, God said, “Let there be light.” (Genesis 1: 3)
Here we see that the Word of God brought physical light and life.
Later, the Word of God, in the physical realm, became Jesus Christ in the flesh. In the spiritual realm, Jesus, the living Word of God, became the spiritual light and life of those who would become children of God.
After Christ’s mission on planet Earth was completed, as the end of time approached, one more, very important thing had to be accomplished.
So at the beginning of the end, in the Book of Revelation, Jesus said, “Write.” (Revelation 1:19)
God the Father gave the Word of Revelation to his Son, Jesus, to “reveal” to his servants (all who follow him) the things that will soon take place (“soon” as relative to all the history of the world).
Then Jesus sent his messenger angel so that John would know the meaning of this revelation. Therefore, John was the first disciple and servant of Jesus Christ to receive this specific end-time message.
John was commissioned to establish this record in the Word of God. His account includes the testimony of Jesus Christ and everything that John had seen related to the life and Word of Christ, during the time that Jesus walked the earth.
The Book of Revelation tells us that those who read or hear the words of this prophecy and hold on to the things that are written in it will be blessed. They will receive God’s favor and benefit from being prepared spiritually, physically, mentally, and emotionally to overcome and endure the end times.
John emphasizes that this Word is from Jesus Christ, who is the only one qualified to be a reliable witness because He is the one who loved us, suffered and died so that our sins could be washed away by His blood. He is the first to rise from the dead. This makes him the preeminent ruler of all authorities on planet Earth, in addition to his right as Creator.
Now Jesus has given his people the responsibility to be rulers and intercessors in the service of God the Father so that we can give him glory, honoring his authority forever over all that exists. He identifies this mission as the primary purpose for those who truly belong to him (Revelation 1: 6).
Soon we will see Jesus coming in the clouds. Then everyone will see. Those who physically tortured him and all the “worldlings” (those who loved the world more than Christ) will cry in agony when they see him.
Doomsday is coming. So be it.
Jesus refers to himself as “Almighty God”, the “Alpha and Omega”. He is the Infinite, the beginning and the end of time and everything that exists. It is interesting that Jesus reveals this in Revelation 1, verse “8”, which is the symbol of infinity.
It was in the beginning and it will be present in “the end”, according to our historical and current concept of time. In the future we will be given greater understanding when time, as we know it, merges with infinity.
The message given to John emphasizes that Jesus Christ is the Ruler of all that exists. He is the only true God.
John qualifies himself by telling all who are and will belong to Christ that he is our godbrother and therefore can identify with us and our circumstances. He also suffered for the Kingdom and patiently awaits the return of Jesus. In fact, John was sentenced to the island of Patmos for his commitment to God’s Word and for speaking to others about Jesus Christ.
In Revelation 1:10, John begins to share the experience of his vision. He says he was “in the Spirit” at a specific time during the Lord’s Day when the Spirit came to him (possibly while he was studying and contemplating the Word and memories of Christ) and at first he heard a great voice that sounded like a trumpet.
This voice, which sounded like a trumpet, was the voice of Jesus Christ, who is the living Word of God. Therefore, the voice, the Word and the trumpet are one. It is appropriate that Jesus’ voice sounds like a trumpet, because He is the voice that carries the powerful frequency or sound of God’s Word.
The first thing Jesus said to John was: “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last; and what you see, write in a book.” This is the first thing, the number one thing, found in Revelation 1:11, referred to in the Book of books by three that emphasize the meaning that He is the first, He is the first of the first and will remain first, or preeminent, even to the end.
Then, in this same verse, Jesus tells John: “Write what you see in a book, and send it to the seven churches that are in Asia …”
Jesus identifies himself again as “Alpha and Omega” just as he did in verse 8. Jesus is saying that John will see something about what he wants him to write in a Book and that John should send this Book to the seven churches in Asia.
God resides in His Word. Because God is preeminent, His Word must also be preeminent. What does the “Author and Finisher of our faith” do with the Word? He writes it and puts it in a Book, through his servants, and then sends his servants to deliver His Word to His people so that they can feed on it.
This is God’s “mode of operation” that has been repeated throughout history.
Children follow in their father’s footsteps. Therefore, God’s priority, focus, and activity become His children’s priority, focus, and activity.
God’s priority is His Word.
John tells us that Jesus’ feet are like high-quality bronze that has been heated in a furnace and his voice is like the sound of many waters.
Again, your voice is compared to sound or frequency. The sound of many waters carries a powerful energizing frequency that can not only be heard, but can undoubtedly also be felt by a force that shakes John to the core as Jesus speaks to him.
Seven stars are in the right hand of Jesus and a sharp two-edged sword comes out of his mouth.
Furthermore, in this first chapter of Revelation, we see that the seven stars in His right hand are the angels or messengers of the seven churches. The two-edged sword refers to the Word of God and we are told that His face or expression was like the sun.
What does the expression of the sun look like?
The significant appearance of the sun exemplifies energy, life, light, and power.
His countenance (expression / behavior / character) was as powerful as the sun when it shines or as full of energy as the sun. In other words, the powerful life-giving energy evident in the character of Jesus Christ revealed that He is the Universal Creator.
It is impossible for anyone to be in the mighty presence of Jesus Christ. John immediately fainted and fell at the feet of his Savior. Jesus touched John, restored his strength, and allowed him to endure the fear (awe) of God’s dynamic majesty.
Jesus continues to present himself so that there is no mistake regarding his identity and John is sure that this is the genuine Jesus. When he says that he is the first and the last, he tells us again that he is the Alpha and Omega, the first Adam and the last Adam of God’s plan of salvation.
Jesus verifies that he rose from the grave and will live forever. His death and resurrection qualify him to hold the keys to hell and death.
The power that controls our eternal life is in good hands.
In Revelation 1:19, Jesus directs John to write about the specific and unique moment in history that he is living in, as well as the vision it will give him. But first Jesus instructs John to write about “the things you have seen.”
Does this include all the things that John has seen in the past, all of his relationship and experience with Christ as the living Word of God?
If this is the case, this verse contains not only Christ’s instruction to record John’s historical and prophetic vision in the Book of Revelation, but also serves as specific evidence and reference to what Jesus gave John (and the others). followers of Christ) the commission to record all the written Word of God, which includes everything that has been written about Jesus and the Father’s plan of redemption (both the Old and New Testaments) and to put it in the Book, the Book of Most holy and historically protected God, the original Holy Bible.