Sound The Trumpet : John's Word of Greeting

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“John's Word of Greeting - Revelation 1:4,5.”
by Art Sadlier
April 15th, 2020

"JOHN", John is the servant of God according to verse one. Chosen by God to be the human instrument through which God's revelation was to come. What a privilege to be God's servant, what honor could be greater? Every believer is given some opportunity to be a servant of God. Don't miss your opportunity when it comes!

"to the seven churches which are in Asia;" This book is written to the church, to believers, not to unbelievers. The message is directed to God's children who are members of the Body of Christ, the Church!

The number seven is the number of perfection or completion, the seven churches are representative of the Whole Church of the entire Church Age. So the message is to every church and every believer of the Whole Church Age. When you hold the Book of Revelation in your hand, you are holding a personal letter from the Triune God, AWSOME!

"Grace be unto you and Peace," it is amazing that even as the book is about to reveal the awful judgment of God upon an unbelieving world, God speaks to His children and says, "Grace and Peace." We see an infinite contrast within the very nature of God. God hates sin and unbelief to an infinite degree, that degree is revealed in a Lake of Fire which will burn eternally in judgment upon disobedience and unbelief. That is contrasted with the infinite love of God for His own, who trust Him and obey Him. Jesus said in Jn. 15:9 "As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you." The believer is the object of the same infinite, eternal love shared between the Father and the Son.

What a contrast, to be set aside for all of Eternity to be the object of God's wrath and judgment. - OR - to be set aside for all of Eternity to be the object of God's infinite love and blessing.

If you are not saved, do no take the issue of your salvation lightly, please go to the NEWSLETTER page and click on,"Have You Considered?" and view and hear how you can become the eternal object of God's love, instead of the eternal object of His wrath.

"From Him which is, and which was, and which is to come," This opening chapter is first and foremost about God. We see the truth about the Triune God presented. Some rightly state that the word "Trinity" is not found in the Bible, neither is the word "Bible." That proves nothing! Actually the Bible was written in Hebrew and Greek and contained no English words. That does not change the fact that the truth of the Triune God is woven in, throughout the whole Bible. The above phrase can only represent the Eternal God. So John gives us a promise from God the Father.

"And from the Seven Spirits which are before His throne." The greeting is also from the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Godhead. Again the number seven speaks of the perfection of the Holy Spirit. ".

"And from Jesus Christ," (vs.5) In verse eight, the same description is given of Christ that is given in verse four of the Father. Why the same description of the Father and the Son? Because they are One in essence. We have here three persons, but one essence, one God. This is taught throughout the scripture. Those who reject it, cannot see it, because they are resisting the truth, because they are unregenerate. (see 1 Cor. 2:13,14)

In Jude 4: it says, "Denying our Lord Jesus Christ," Jude says those who do that are under condemnation, but Jude defines clearly what it means to deny Jesus Christ. It is not denying the person of Christ. Notice what Jude said, "Denying the only Lord God." The issue is clearly not denying the person of Christ, but denying that He is God.

This point is labored in this first chapter because, apart from understanding this truth, there is no message in the Book of Revelation, no revelation of Christ. The book is about God the Son defeating the usurper and setting up His throne on earth.

Notice CHRIST'S THREE TITLES in verse five. First, He is "the Faithful Witness." Theodore Epp said, "when Jesus Christ gave His message He was speaking as the creator of all things and controller of all things and one who has all the past, the present, and the future in His hands. He is eternal and will stand as a witness of God when all man-made things have come to nothing." As a witness Christ has given to the world the truth concerning salvation.

Second, He is OUR PRIEST, "the first begotten of the dead." He is not only our sacrifice but our Priest who offered Himself as a sacrifice for us. He is a Great High Priest because He is alive forevermore. He is the first man to enter into indestructable life, because He lives we too shall live.

Third, He is our KING "the prince of the kings of the earth." Nebuchadnezzar, learned this long ago, "Now I Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of Heaven, all whose works are truth, and His ways judgment; and those that walk in pride He is able to abase." Understand that as the book opens, a usurper is on the throne of this world, ruling over this present evil world system. The book is the record of the rightful King removing the usurper and taking his place on the throne of this world.

He shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His Father David; and He shall reign over the House of Jacob forever; and of His Kingdom there shall be no end." Luke 1:32, 33. That is the consummation of God's purpose in the Book of Revelation.

Looking for His glorious appearing! Titus 2:13