Exploring the Scripture
The Christian calendar is ending. Next week a new Christian year begins with the Advent Season, directing our attention once again to Christ’s coming 2,000 years ago, in the present age, and in the future. In expectation, on this last Sunday of the year, we worship Jesus Christ as Christ the King.
Our text begins as a letter, with a greeting from the Holy Spirit to the seven churches in Asia. The Spirit is described as God’s presence and spiritual energy in the spirits of the seven churches. “Seven” stood for wholeness, symbolizing all Christian churches to whom the letter was sent. By extension, it can include all churches in existence today. The greeting also comes from Jesus Christ, who is celebrated throughout the passage with tributes and titles that highlight his Divine nature and redemptive work.
Jesus Christ is the faithful witness. His teachings, life, and words can be trusted as true, and he remained faithful to his teachings and beliefs until the end. The word translated as “witness” can also mean “martyr,” who gave his life on the cross.
He is the firstborn of the dead: the Resurrected Christ brought back to life as “the first fruits” of the harvest of souls, which will occur during the final judgment (1 Corinthians 15:20). He is King of Kings, superior in Spirit, power, and authority over all kings. The government of this world could not stop his life or ministry, and by defeating death, Christ is now superior to all earthly powers.
After praising Jesus Christ, John outlines what Christ has done for us. Christ loves us. Note the present tense. Christ’s love is current, not a thing of the past, and it continues into future ages.
Christ freed us from sin by sacrificing his blood for our sins. Christ is King of God’s kingdom, a kingdom in which we act as priests or ministers who worship and serve God, Christ’s Father. The final phrase may refer to God as wielding all power and glory, or it may refer to Christ. In many passages throughout the Book of Revelation, God and Christ are interchangeable. Any description could apply to either.
Christ is coming again. The implication is the time is soon. Efforts are already underway to bring about the Second Coming, an idea that appealed to the Christian martyrs who suffered under Domitian’s reign when the Book of Revelation was written. When Christ comes, he will be visible to every human being as the Divine Son of God, even to those who did not recognize him earlier and were responsible for his death. They and all those who denied him will wail at his coming as they understand the injustice and sin of their actions.
In the final verse, the acclaim for Jesus Christ ends. God claims the identity of “Alpha and Omega.” Alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet; omega is the last letter. The phrase symbolizes the beginning and the end, with everything between included. God affirms what was written and the account to come are true, signed with God’s name, the same God who created all things and will complete all things in the final days.
Project Zion Podcast
Hosts Karin Peter and Blake Smith consider how this week's scripture connects to our lives today.
Central Ideas
- Jesus Christ is both a faithful witness of the teachings and kingdom he stood for and the faithful martyr who gave his life for the sake of the kingdom.
- Christ is King of Kings, superior to all earthly powers, who could not stop his influence.
- Christ loves us, freed us from sin, and made us inheritors and ministers of the kingdom, serving God.
- Christ is coming again to reign as King.
- Through the Holy Spirit’s inspiration, God attests to the truth of what is written.
Questions to Consider
- How have you been a faithful witness to the life, teachings, and words of Jesus Christ?
- Where have you witnessed faith opposing the power of government and rulers?
- What does it mean to be the inheritor of God’s kingdom now?
- What is another metaphor for creating the inclusive community Jesus taught?
- How does the theology of Christ’s Second Coming affect your faith, service, and ministry inside and outside the church?