The
book of Revelation begins with a hymn of praise to the Lord Jesus Christ, “…and
from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, the ruler of
the kings of the earth. 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.” Revelation 1:5 – 6.
The first description of Jesus is that
He is the faithful witness. The word “witness” is the Greek word martereo,
which describes a person whose testimony of the facts is more important to them
than their own life. We get our English word “martyr” from this Greek word.
Jesus fully revealed the heart of the Father to man. He also revealed the
faithful heart of man to God. He lived as God intended man to live. In living
this way, He was rejected by man, which led to His death for man.
The crucifixion of Jesus not only revealed the
love of the Father for man, it also revealed the sinfulness of man toward God.
Jesus is the faithful witness of both. His sinless life revealed the hypocrisy
of those who lives were full of sin (ours) with full knowledge that He would
become sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. Jesus
is the faithful witness of God to man and man to God.
Jesus is the firstborn of the dead.
This phrase reveals the fact that there has only been one person who has lived
in perfect fellowship with the Father; Jesus Christ, His Son. Jesus died, and
God the Father raised Him up on the third day. Hallelujah!!! Death had no claim
on His life because He never sinned. Jesus robbed death of its reign over man
by His sinless life. He conquered the grave and forever made it something to walk
through rather than be trapped in! The resurrection of Jesus Christ created a
new humanity for the new heaven and new earth that God has promised to create.
Jesus is the firstborn of the new creation. In Him, you are next.
Jesus is the ruler of the kings of the
earth. The book of Revelation will reveal the failure of all of the kings of
the earth and their kingdoms. History reveals the same truth. One by one, every
kingdom and scheme of man has failed because of sin. Sin has always had the
last word in people’s lives, until Jesus stepped onto the scene. He rules by
His sinless life in perfect fellowship with the Father. The authority of Christ
is the word of God. He rules with the two-edged sword that proceeds from His
mouth; the word of God. All of the kings of the earth have tried and failed,
but Jesus overrules them all, by His faithfulness to God’s word. He is the Word
of God!
Today, memorize this powerful
three-fold description of Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of
the dead, the ruler of the kings of the earth. Meditate on the truth of it and
pray it back to Him as a declaration of praise.
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