TUESDAY September 3rd
Revelation 1:3
‘Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near.’
As I was preparing these devotions, I felt that I couldn’t move on without reminding us of some of the wonderful truth that is found in this first chapter. For tit reminds us that we have a living and powerful Saviour! Yes, he died, but the wonder of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is that after being buried and sealed in a tomb he rose again triumphantly. Now, I am jumping ahead a few verses here, but after John had his incredible vision of Jesus, it says that John fell at his feet as though dead (v17), but Jesus spoke to him these words ‘“Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.”’
What does this say to us? Well, beside the fact that Jesus has risen from the dead and is still very much alive and is for eternity, it tells us that he has triumphed victoriously, and therefore as the mighty victor, the powerful conqueror, he is in charge! He holds control over all things, my life, your life is in his hands, this world and its future is in his hands and the powers of darkness as powerful as they may seem to sometimes be, are under his control. He has defeated death, he has defeated the devil, he has broken the power of sin. He holds the keys!
But before these verses, we read these words from verse 5-6 ‘To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.’
What a wonderful Saviour is Jesus, my Jesus!
What a wonderful Saviour is Jesus, my Lord!
He has loved us, with such an incredible, powerful love, he has freed us from our sins by his blood, ‘There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus’, he has made us a kingdom, we have become priest to his God and Father, therefore as we wonder concerning our wonderful salvation, we say ‘to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.’
Now literally as I was writing the previous paragraph, I heard a song that I had never heard before which tied in so well with what these verses are all about, here are the words.
I’m the Lamb that was slain
And my blood washes you clean
I’m the pure sacrifice
Let my life give you life
I’m the Lamb
We cry, worthy, we cry, worthy,
We cry, worthy is the Lamb of God
You’re the Lamb that was slain
And your blood washes us clean
You’re the pure sacrifice
Let your life give us life
You’re the Lamb
You’re the Lamb
It causes us to jump ahead (well me anyway) to Revelation chapter 5 and verses 12 and 13
‘“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honour and glory and blessing! . . . To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honour and glory and might forever and ever!”