Revelation - Part 2 - Lecture 5

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Kay Arthur

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DON’T BE AFRAID:
HE’S THE FIRST, THE LAST

Revelation Pt 2, Lecture 5

by Kay Arthur

ARE YOU AFRAID of the future, of today, of death, of the enemy, of spiritual warfare? You do not need to be afraid. He is the first and the last and He is in control of everything IN BETWEEN! He is standing right here in the midst of His church.

John writes "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like [the sound] of a trumpet, (not Jesus even though it’s in ‘’red letters’’ in many Bibles. cf Rev 4:1) saying, "Write in a book what you see, and send [it] to the seven churches: to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea." And I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands and in the middle of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His breast with a golden girdle. And His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire and His feet [were] like burnished bronze, when it has been caused to glow in a furnace, and His voice [was] like the sound of many waters. And in His right hand He held seven stars; and out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and His face was like the sun shining in its strength. And WHEN I SAW HIM, I fell at His feet as a dead man. And He laid His right hand upon me, saying, "DO NOT BE AFRAID; I AM THE FIRST AND THE LAST, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades. Write therefore the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall take place after these things. As for the mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches. " (Rev 4:10-20)

So John saw Jesus as He is now (not the Jesus on whom John had lain his head on at the last supper-John 13:23‘’There was reclining on Jesus' breast one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved’) This One was not the Jesus Who walked and talked with him and multiplied the loaves & fishes. The Jesus John saw was as He appears now (majestic in His glory). The result was that he fell on his face like a dead man because what he saw was awesome and fearful. But Jesus reached down and told him ‘’DON’T BE AFRAID. I AM the first & the last, the living One. I’m the first...I’ve been there all the time. I’m the last. I have the beginning and the end in My hand. These keys I hold are the keys of death and hades. DON’T BE AFRAID. Write what you see, the things that are and the things that will be after these things.’’ We don’t need to be afraid of anything. Why? Because Jesus was there at the beginning and the end and He is in control of everything in between. If only we can catch a glimpse of this truth and truly understand it. Jesus in the book of Revelation is letting us know ahead of time exactly what is going to take place. We can know exactly what is coming.

CROSS-REFERENCES on THE SON OF MAN:

"One like a Son of Man" John is not describing an angelic being but Deity clothed in humanity.

Let's look at Acts 17 describing Paul's visit to Athens, a pagan city filled with statues of idols. In Acts 17:16 we read that Paul's "spirit was being provoked within him as he was beholding the city full of idols."

Luke writes beginning in Acts 17:22 ‘’...Men of Athens, I observe that you are very religious in all respects. For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, 'TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.' What therefore you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you." (The Athenians with all their ‘gods’ knew that they were missing something because Jesus is the only Light that lights every man and thus deep within every man and woman is a spiritual void that no other so-called ‘god’ will ever be able to fill. So despite all their ‘gods’, the Athenians knew they were missing something and that there was One that they didn’t know about who had to make up for what they lacked, and so they called it 'an unknown god'.) In Acts 17:24 Paul declares that "The God Who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; 25 neither is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to ALL life and breath and all things; (He knows when a sparrow falls..’’not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.’’ cf Mt 10:29) 26 and He made from one (from one male and one female, Adam and Eve, and since all humanity traces back to these two evolution is dispelled with one stroke) every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined [their] appointed times, (i.e., He determined when a nation would be a nation) and the boundaries of their habitation, 27 that they should seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; 28 for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, 'For we also are His offspring.' (They didn't know God but knew man had a higher calling and that man was the ‘offspring’ of God). 29 "Being then the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man. 30 "Therefore (God) having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all everywhere should repent, (have a change of mind about God which results in a radical change in one's behavior and lifestyle) 31 because He has fixed A DAY (we are studying ‘’the DAY’’) in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, (the great white throne judgment described in Rev 20:11-15) having furnished PROOF to all men by raising Him from the dead. "

So God is going to judge the world by a MAN.

Who is the One standing in the midst of the lampstands? John describes Him as "One like a SON OF MAN."

In the gospel of John, Jesus declared "Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear shall live. For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself; and He gave Him authority to execute judgment, because He is [the] Son of Man." (Jn 5:25-27)

This judgment begins in Revelation 19:11-16 when Jesus, the Son of Man, comes to earth and the sword comes out of His mouth. This judgment continues through to terminate in the final day of judgment, often referred to as the Great White Throne (GWT) (Rev 20:11-15).

When in the book of Revelation does that JUDGMENT of the world begin? It begins in Revelation 6 when the seals are broken and continues through to the final day of judgment of unbelievers at the "Great White Throne", which is the last judgment. So the "day of judgment" is not a single, specific day but actually describes a period of time that is described in Revelation 6:12-20:15. God gave Jesus authority to execute judgment because He is the Son of Man. So He is not a God Who is ‘’far off’’ Who will judge men. He is not a God Who has never experienced pressures, trials and tribulations that come to all those who live on earth. The Son of Man Who will judge was "tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin" (Heb 4:15)

Now turn back to Revelation 1:13 to discuss the "robe":

In Rev1:13 John describes "in the middle of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His breast with a golden girdle."

Robes used to be of two lengths, one skirt-length, a short toga-like garment and the other style reached to the feet or floor-length. So this "one like a son of man" with a girdle around is wearing a floor-length robe which implies an important person, one with authority. The ‘’golden girdle’’ Jesus was clothed with is described only one other place (Rev 15:6) but in that verse it does not describe Jesus but 7 angels with the 7 plagues who were given 7 golden bowls filled with the wrath of God. So in Rev 15:6 the picture is one of God judging the earth. As Jesus stands in the midst of the lampstands, John sees an awesome picture but it is not the Jesus as He was in His humanity, and so John’s response is to fall on his face as a dead man.

Rev1:14 "And His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire"

Go to Daniel 7 and the vision of the 4 beasts: (Click the following links for Kay's 4 Lectures on Daniel chapter 7: LECTURE 9: (chap 7) LIONS, LEOPARDS, AND BEARS, Lecture 10: (chap 7) A WOMAN, A CHILD AND A BEAST With 10 HORNS, LECTURE 11: (chap 7) ANY CONNECTION BETWEEN EUROPEAN COMMON MARKET & LITTLE HORN?, LECTURE 12: (chap 7) WHAT LEADS UP TO LORD'S RETURN?)

Da 7:9 "I kept looking until thrones were set up, and the Ancient of Days took [His] seat; His vesture [was] like white snow, and the hair of His head like pure wool. His throne [was] ablaze with flames, Its wheels [were] a burning fire.

So we see One like Jesus with hair like ‘’white wool’’, which gives us a glimpse that Jesus also is ‘’ancient’’ like the ‘’Ancient of Days" He is not just Son of Man but He is God clothed in humanity.

How do we know the ‘’Ancient of Days’’ in Da 7:9 is not Jesus?

Da 7:10-11 "A river of fire was flowing and coming out from before Him; Thousands upon thousands were attending Him, and myriads upon myriads were standing before Him; The court sat, and the books were opened. Then I kept looking because of the sound of the boastful words which the horn was speaking; I kept looking until the beast was slain, and its body was destroyed and given to the burning fire."

Here Daniel refers to "the horn" which is "THE LITTLE HORN" which comes out of the FOURTH BEAST in Daniel 7 (Da 7:7-8 "After this I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrifying and extremely strong; and it had large iron teeth. It devoured and crushed, and trampled down the remainder with its feet; and it was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. While I was contemplating the horns, behold, another horn, a little one, came up among them, and three of the first horns were pulled out by the roots before it; and behold, this horn possessed eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth uttering great boasts.")

Is there a BEAST in Revelation? Clearly the answer is "yes" and to help remember the beast of Revelation 13 think ‘Friday the 13th’. This beast is destroyed in (Rev19:19, 20) (hold pointer over any link in bright blue for pop up)

Da 7:13 "I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven (What does this remind you of? Rev 1:7 ‘Behold He is coming with the clouds and every eye will see Him’ ) One like a Son of Man was coming, and He came up to the Ancient of Days and was presented before Him."

So here we see that the "One like a Son of Man" Who approaches "the Ancient of Days" is not only God but is in fact the God-Man, the same One John sees in Rev 1:13.

Da 7:14 "And to Him ("One like a Son of Man") was given dominion, glory and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and men of every language might serve Him (cf to Rev 1:5 where John describes Jesus as ‘’the Ruler of the kings of the earth", see also Rev11:15, 17:14 19:16). His dominion is an everlasting dominion which will not pass away; and His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed."

Don't fear Jesus is the First and the Last and His dominion is forever & ever. John must have been afraid and trembling and that’s why Jesus tells him ‘Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last.’ (Rev 1:17) Most of the ways that Jesus introduces Himself to each of the 7 churches in Rev 2 and Rev 3, He does so by repeating a portion of the description of Jesus in Rev 1:10-20. (refer to the Table below for more detailed comparison)

Rev 2:18-23 "And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: from The Son of God, who has EYES LIKE A FLAME OF FIRE , and His feet are like burnished bronze, says this: 19 'I know your deeds, and your love and faith and service and perseverance, and that your deeds of late are greater than at first. 20 'But I have [this] against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel...(she has caused even the bondservants of God to get involved in immorality and He is about to judge her, casting her on a bed of sickness and great tribulation unless she repents ) who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray, so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. 23 And I will kill her children with pestilence; and all the churches will know that I AM HE WHO SEARCHES THE MINDS AND HEARTS (because He has eyes like a flame of fire); and I will give to each one of you according to your deeds."

His EYES LIKE A FLAME OF FIRE pierce the outer facade that we may be presenting to the world and burns through to search our mind and heart, our innermost being so that there is no hiding from Him. No wonder John fell on His face because of the penetration of those eyes into his very soul. This speaks of PURITY, OF PURIFICATION, OF JUDGMENT, OF SEEING WHAT'S REALLY GOING ON INSIDE. You may be reading this message and be in a very respected position and yet your life is filled with sin and iniquity and you are thinking that no one sees because its all covered up. But you must know the eternal truth expressed in Num 32:23 "But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the Lord, and BE SURE YOUR SIN WILL FIND YOU OUT.’’ Why? Because Jesus stands in the midst of the lampstands, which are in the midst of the churches and He has eyes that are like piercing flames of fire and He searches minds and hearts.

Rev 1:15 and His feet [were] like burnished bronze, when it has been caused to glow in a furnace, and His voice [was] like the sound of many waters.

BURNISHED BRONZE could speaks either of JUDGMENT. For example the bronze altar in the tabernacle was the site of judgment. The ark of the covenant in contrast was covered on the outside with pure gold which speaks of purity and the deity of God and inside was made of acacia wood which pictures the humanity of Jesus. The fact that this description of feet like burnished bronze is used of a church (Thyatira) that has gross immorality and is even knowingly tolerating that kind of immorality also speaks of JUDGMENT.

BURNISHED BRONZE could also speak of PERFECT PURITY -- this One that John sees standing is totally, absolutely pure like a Lamb w/o spot or blemish, without defect.

Go to Ezekiel's remarkable Vision in Ezekiel 1

The context is that "In the midst of the living beings there was something that looked like burning coals of fire, like torches darting back and forth among the living beings. The fire was bright, and lightning was flashing from the fire. And the living beings ran to and fro like bolts of lightning." (Ezek 1:13) This FIRE was in the middle of the 4 living creatures (with faces of man, lion, bull, eagle). This FIRE is described as LIKE BURNING COALS OF FIRE. (Ed Note: for more discussion of Ezekiel's vision see notes on this website re Ezekiel 1:1-14, 1:15-28)

Looking up towards the throne, Ezekiel writes:

Ezek 1:26 Now above the expanse that was over their heads (of the 4 living creatures) there was something resembling a throne, like lapis lazuli in appearance; and on that which resembled a throne, high up, was a figure with the appearance of a MAN. 27 Then I noticed from the appearance of His loins and upward something like glowing metal that looked like fire all around within it, and from the appearance of His loins and downward I saw something like fire; and [there was] a radiance around Him.

So this One (Ed note: Who is context is without doubt the preincarnate Messiah) in Ezekiel's vision has fire coming out and is a picture of purity.

Go to Ezekiel's Vision in chapter 43 in which God is showing him the city:

Rev 1:16 And in His right hand He held seven stars; and out of His mouth came A SHARP TWO-EDGED SWORD; and His face was like the sun shining in its strength.

Heb 4:12 describes the WORD OF GOD as like a sharp two-edged sword which discerns the thoughts and intents of a man.

JESUS SPEAKING TO THE CHURCH at Pergamum in which there were false teachers says...

"Repent therefore; or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against THEM (i.e., the false teachers) with THE SWORD OF MY MOUTH."

We see the SWORD COMING OUT OF JESUS' MOUTH in Rev 19 when He smites the nations

Rev 19:15 "And from His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may smite the nations; and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty."

Rev 1:17 And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as a dead man. And He laid His right hand upon me, saying, "Do not be afraid; I AM THE FIRST AND THE LAST,

"I AM the first" is the Greek phrase "ego eimi ho protos"

‘I Am’ is God's memorial name = I AM as found in Ex 3: 14 "And God said to Moses, "I AM (Y-H-W-H which is transliterated by the addition of vowels as Yahweh in turn transliterated as Jehovah, the holiest name for God and in the Septuagint translation is the Greek phrase "ego eimi") Who I AM"; and He said, "Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'"

In Rev 1:17 Jesus says He is the first (protos).

This is why we do not have to be afraid, because He is ''I AM". And so Jesus describes Himself as "I AM...everything and anything you will ever need! Do not be afraid!''

In John 6 we find the disciples are on a stormy Sea of Galilee at night and Jesus ("I Am") comes walking on the water:

"When therefore they had rowed about three or four miles, they beheld Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near to the boat; and they were frightened. But He said to them, "It is I (the phrase "ego eimi"). Do not be afraid." (more literally "stop being afraid") (John 6:19-20)

So the Scriptures are telling us that we need never to be afraid because JESUS IS HERE, in the midst of His church even though we can't see Him. But as He walks among us, we need to remember that He does so with eyes like a flame of fire, white hair, girded with a golden girdle and long robe showing His authority, with feet like burnished bronze signifying judgment and purity. So here in the midst of this AWESOME REVELATION of His character, Jesus says stop being afraid. Don't be afraid because I AM here, I AM the first.

Go to Rev 3:14 where the context is the church at Laodicea which filled with people who do not know the Lord Jesus Christ, who have religion but no relationship. Jesus is on the outside of this church yet He loves them.

"And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: from The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, (indicating that I cannot lie, everything I say in the Revelation is absolutely true) the Beginning (the Greek word arche which implies first in order and/or priority -- The question for us is "Does He have priority in my life?") of the creation of God..." (Rev 3:14)

Go to Colossians 1:15-16 where the the church at Colossae was given a letter they were to share with the church at Laodicea (cf Col4:16) where Paul is describing Jesus as...

"the image of the invisible God, the FIRST-BORN of all creation. (Jesus is previous to all creation; He is preeminent. Ed note: click here for more detailed discussion on this website) For by Him all things were created, [both] in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities-- all things have been created by Him and for Him." (Col 1:15-16)

WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF THEN? Of Satan? Who created all things? Then why are you afraid?

JESUS CREATED SATAN:

Satan was created by God as a beautiful angelic being yet he was not content with his position, stating that he would put his throne above the Most High. When Satan did that, he was cast down and took 1/3 of the STARS with him (see Rev 12:4). Revelation 12 speaks of dragon that gives the beast his power in Revelation 13:2. Jesus knew the devil would fall because Jesus is before all creation, the firstborn of creation, the First and the Last & Satan wasn't even there when Jesus always was. So you DON'T NEED TO BE AFRAID. All things have been created by Him and for Him...EVEN THE DEVIL!

JESUS CREATED ISRAEL:

The Firstborn, not only created the angels (including those who fell) and Adam, but He also created Israel in Gen 12:1-3 where He called Abram (later changing his name to "Abraham") and made or cut a covenant with him to give him a land, a seed and a nation and that all the nations of the earth would be blessed through Abraham, the father of Israel.

Go to Isaiah 48

In Isaiah 48:1-3 God tells Israel these things before they come to pass.

Isaiah writes "Hear this, O house of Jacob, who are named Israel and who came forth from the loins of Judah, who swear by the name of the LORD and invoke the God of Israel, but not in truth nor in righteousness. For they call themselves after the holy city, and lean on the God of Israel, The LORD of hosts is His name. I declared the former things long ago and they went forth from My mouth, and I proclaimed them. Suddenly I acted, and they came to pass." (Isa48:1-3)

God is telling them these things before they come to pass so that they will know for certain that it was not their ''gods'' that did it. God can tell the future because He is the First and the Last.

Isaiah goes on to add God's declaration to His chosen people writing "Listen to Me, O Jacob, even Israel whom I called. I am He, I am the first, I am also the last. Surely My hand founded the earth, and My right hand spread out the heavens. When I call to them, they stand together." (Isa 48:12-13)

JESUS CREATED THE CHURCH:

Paul records that Jesus "is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the first-born from the dead; so that He Himself might come to have first place in everything." (Col1:18)

How did Jesus create the church? He created "her" by His death, burial and resurrection (He is the FIRSTBORN from the dead). From Genesis 1 until the time of Christ's Crucifixion all who were true believers were looking forward to the coming of the promised Messiah and thus they were saved by faith, the same way believers in the New Testament were saved. After the Cross and specifically from the day of Pentecost onward, Jesus created the church. In Rev 1 Jesus is in the midst of His church and He is showing them that He has conquered SIN and DEATH because He holds in His hand the key of death and hades (hell). No one can lock what He opens and no one can open what He locks. His holding of the keys of hell and death also shows that He has defeated Satan who is bound in Rev 20:1-4 and finally cast into the Lake of fire in Rev 20:10.

Jesus is showing us that He has conquered sin and death and Satan. So we don't need to be afraid.

WRITING TO THE COLOSSIANS, THROUGH PAUL JESUS TELLS HIS CHURCH...

"And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, [engaged] in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach--if indeed you continue in the faith (So what do you have to do? You have to continue in the faith which equates with the term often referred to as "the perseverance of the saints’’. Be careful. You are not saved by continuing in the faith, but because you are saved, you will continue. How do you know that you’re saved? You continue and that is the evidence of genuine salvation.) firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister." (Col1:21-23)

God wants to present you and I before Himself "holy and blameless and beyond reproach". For this reason Jesus in Revelation 2-3 sends His clear message to the churches, each message describing Him in some way like His initial appearance to John in Revelation 1. He is saying to the churches "I KNOW YOUR DEEDS." He is aware of what is going on. Is He standing in the midst of the churches to judge them? Not exactly. He is standing there and speaking to them to cause the churches to judge themselves. He tells them He knows their deeds and He knows what is good and what is bad and that they are to judge themselves because JUDGMENT BEGINS WITH THE HOUSE OF GOD. (1Pet 4:17) If it begins at the house of God, then what is the world going to do? Where does this judgment begin at the HOUSE OF GOD? In Revelation 2-3 as Jesus walks among the churches with eyes like a flame of fire and with feet like burnished bronze, does He tell them to be afraid? No... He is reiterating Paul's admonition in 1 Corinthians 10-11 that IF WE WOULD JUDGE OURSELVES THEN WE WOULD NOT BE JUDGED OF GOD! So judgment begins at the household of God so that you and I WILL NOT BE CONDEMNED WITH THE WORLD.

Paul writes that "when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord in order that we may not be condemned along with the world." (1Cor 11:32)

So in the letters to the Seven Churches Jesus is telling them to JUDGE THEMSELVES and He gives promises to he who overcomes. Jesus takes us from where we are living now in time and seeks to get us to focus our eyes on eternity and the future promising all overcomers:

HE WHO OVERCOMES. Who is the one who overcomes? Is this some special class of believers or for only a select few? John answers this question for us in his first epistle writing that whoever "is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world-- our faith. And who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?"

What is the victory that OVERCOMES THE WORLD? Our faith.